Drosselmeyer's Curse
by GwenuitHolland
Summary: The story continues with Uzura as main character.Drosselmeyer is planning on throwing the town into chaos, but because Fakir destroyed his devise, he can only do that through Fakir's descendant. Duck and Fakir fear for their daughter Isa and while Uzura is trying to find her dreams as a teenager at the Ballet Acedemy, she soon finds herself trapped in her oldest nightmare. UzuraxOC
1. The new writer

**Disclaimer: I do not own Princess Tutu**

****AN: Hi there, so this is the beginning of the new volume of my Princess Tutu series, I think you can read this one separately, but it may cause you some confusion later on. I'll try to repeat some information from 'I will protect..' and 'Strings of love' though. I hope you like it :) ****

Drosselmeyer's Curse

The new writer

Fakir sat behind his writing desk late that night. He wasn't writing, nothing would come to him now anyway.

'What is this ill feeling I have?' he wondered. 'I should be happy, right?' But he wasn't. Suddenly he realised he no longer heard the ticking of the clock or Duck's steady breathing. It was as though time had stopped.

"My, my, isn't this unexpected." An unpleasant voice spoke and Fakir looked at the large shadow on the wall. In it a frame of an open door had appeared and through it a man watched him with an evil grin on his face.

"Drosselmeyer." Fakir growled as he felt the hate boil up inside him.

"The useless knight who couldn't even die and threw my beautiful tragedy into ruin, who would have thought you would bring me a window of opportunity after all." Drosselmeyer said delighted.

Fakir didn't speak, he knew this man did always as he pleased and seeing as he was a ghost, Fakir couldn't do anything against him. With horror he watched the man step into the room, beyond the borders of his shadowy realm and disappear.

"Ah yes, with this little girl here." Drosselmeyer's voice continued from the far corner in the room where Isa's little cradle stood.

With a shock Fakir came to his feet and ran to the cradle, in fear Drosselmeyer might do something to her, but the old story-teller only laughed.

"Don't worry, I won't harm her. After all, like I said, she is a new chance for me to see this town in a new tragedy. Or had you forgotten?" He now looked directly at Fakir and pointed an accusing finger at him. "You and Princess Tutu defied the roles I had set out for you in a desperate search for happiness." He said. "You found it in each other in the end, with a little help from me, I might add. Now it seems that my little generosity was not for nothing. By choosing you, my dear pathetic Tutu has spun a new tale for me." Drosselmeyer now appeared in the shadow at the side of the bed where Duck was sleeping peacefully.  
>"Do I have to spell it out for you?" he went on to Fakir. "You have my blood running through your veins. The ability to play with reality and by passing it on to this child you sealed her fate. She will become a new writer to finish my work and create an even greater tragedy. The story of the Prince and the Raven has long been lost, but maybe she will be able to create an even better story. My congratulations to you and my thanks!" Drosselmeyer grinned at Fakir's dismay and returned to the shadow from which he had come and turned to leave.<p>

"Wait!" Fakir called and the man halted. "You are also going to tell Duck this, aren't you?" Fakir asked.

"But of course, I think Duck has been quite ignorant about this."

"Please, don't." Fakir said desperately.

"Why? After all this, she could use a little bit of suffering." Drosselmeyer said.

"You sadistic fossil!" Fakir spat at him.

"Do you intend to tell her yourself and hope to lessen her pain by making empty promises of protection?" Drosselmeyer said amused. "Your desire to protect others cost your parents their lives, you mustn't forget that. You are useless as a knight."

Fakir gritted his teeth. "That maybe so," he said slowly, "I will not deny that I can do nothing as a knight. Even so, for her I will always keep trying."

"Ha-ha, I'll leave it to you then and maybe it all will come to an end that pleases me!" Drosselmeyer said and he walked back to his shadowy realm. "Bye, bye!"

* * *

><p>Fakir woke up with a start. Had that been a dream or did Drosselmeyer really appear? There was no real question about it. Fakir knew Drosselmeyer had come and what he had said was all too true. Fakir sat up and looked at the other side of the bed, but Duck wasn't there. Shocked Fakir stood up and looked at the little cradle. Isa was still safe and sound asleep, but where did Duck go? Did Drosselmeyer tell her after all? Without getting dressed he ran downstairs and burst into the kitchen.<p>

"Duck!" he called while he feared that she might have gone to the lake of Despair again. But to his relieve he saw her standing there, still wearing her night gown and she looked at him with a surprised expression.

"Oh, good morning Fakir." She said. "I'm sorry, I was going to wake you up. I didn't mix up the time, did I?"

Fakir sighed in relieve and entered the kitchen.

"Is something wrong, Fakir?" Duck asked and she looked concerned.

Fakir walked towards her. He figured he might as well tell her now. She had already seen that something was bothering him and there was no point in denying it.  
>"Duck," he began carefully and he saw that she immediately understood that something was wrong. "I have to tell you something. Will you promise you won't take it too hard?"<p>

"Eh, alright." Duck replied, a bit confused and she took a seat on one of the kitchen chairs.

"Drosselmeyer came." Fakir said and with that he almost had said everything. Duck looked shocked, but she remained silent and let Fakir speak. "I'm sorry, Duck." Fakir said and he hung his head in grieve. "Drosselmeyer told me something I have always known, but I was too afraid to look into it. You and I both know I have Drosselmeyer's blood running through my veins. The ability to mess with reality and putting lives at risk. I passed that on to Isa and Drosselmeyer will once again drag this town into pain and misery and he will use her to do it. I thought Drosselmeyer had come to you about this, even though I asked him not to. This is my responsibility and I don't want you nor Uzura nor Isa to get hurt. I know I'm not supposed to fight and that I can't protect anyone, this mark of the fallen knight from the story still shows that."

"No," Duck said softly and she spoke with warm words of hope. She stood up from her chair and laid a gentle hand on Fakir's chest where the mark ran over his body. "You mustn't listen to him." She said. "You did protect me and Uzura, remember? You are strong and will always try and protect the ones you love. You always did more for me than I did for you and this time I will protect you too."

Fakir looked into her beautiful warm eyes. She smiled at him and he looked back at her with care and devotion. "Idiot, you did protect me, remember?" he said softly. "If it was not for your care for me, I would still be inside that oak tree."

Duck blushed. It was true, she had shown him her deep feelings for him, even though she had been written to love someone else. Fakir and Duck looked each other in the eyes. After all those years their love had only grown stronger and they would do anything for each other. They slowly moved closer into a kiss and the whole world around them seemed to devolve into nothing, until someone spoke.

"Good morning-zura!" a voice chimed happily.

Duck broke free from Fakir and almost knocked him over. "Oh, Uzura, good morning!" she said flustered. As a married couple, she and Fakir had every right to kiss, but even so, Duck never got used to it when someone saw them.

"Why do you stop-zura?" Uzura asked and her eyes sparkled with excitement. She was now seven years old and normally children would be ashamed by their parents' behaviour, but Uzura knew her parents longer than that. She had been their friend when she was still a doll and she had always wished for them to get together. Even now, after she had become their daughter, she was still a bit obsessed with their romance.

"I'll go to Isa." Duck said, still a bit nervously and she quickly went upstairs. Fakir could handle Uzura's curiosity much better, since he had known her from the very beginning. And so he casually took a seat next to her at the table.

"Good morning, Uzura, did you sleep well?" he asked her.

"Yes, where's my sister?" she replied happily.

Fakir gave her a warm smile. He knew that Drosselmeyer's threat applied to her as well, but he would not tell her. He and Duck would figure it out before something could happen to her or Isa.  
>"Duck will soon come downstairs with her." He answered. Fakir truly believed that no one was more happy with Isa than Uzura, not even Duck or himself.<p>

**This story has Uzura as main character and the next chapter will begin with a time skip, this was really an introduction, since everyone knows Uzura as little girl and because Isa is very important.**

**Please review! :)**


	2. The steps to achieve a dream

The steps to achieve a dream

Years passed by without mishap. Uzura enrolled into the Ballet Academy when she was twelve, just as her parents had done before her. Although, they were a bit surprised by her decision to do ballet. With her past joy in carrying that drum around, the Music Division would have been more fitting, or even the Art Division because she had always enjoyed drawing. No, even though she never showed any interest in it in her early years, Uzura wanted to study ballet. When Duck asked her what her reasons were, she answered that she wanted to be able to dance a Part de Deux with her true love. Duck had stared at her and did not quite follow her, but Fakir had chuckled and went along with it. Uzura's curiosity to the meaning of love would never be over until she would have that special dance with the one in her heart. That was what Uzura believed.  
>Uzura's classmates were all from parents who were older than Duck and Fakir, the children from their generation were all just in the Beginner's Class at the age of twelve. Children in Gold Crown Town first went to an public school till they reached the age of twelve, then they were given the choice to go to Gold Crown Town Academy to study music, ballet or art. If they would like to do another trade, then they could go to other smaller schools. Myre, Rue and Mytho's daughter, studied ballet. She was twelve years old now and she had made her choice to fill her parents shoes at the Ballet division. Her parents were still very famous for their dancing. Now they danced together in theatres. Myre had quite a reputation to uphold, but fortunately she had her mother's pride and ignored it all. As her neighbour, Uzura was on friendly terms with Myre, but not more than that. Myre was three years younger and therefore did not share the same interests. Uzura's loyal friend Rina did not study ballet, but drawings. In the past she had taught Uzura how to draw flowers and now she had become quite good at drawing sceneries. Uzura looked her up during their breaks and they always had lunch together. Another friend Uzura had outside her class was Van, Autor's son. He was the only one from that generation whose age was very close to hers. He was fourteen and he studied Music, just like his father, only he played oboe instead of piano. Van had also his own logic and was always very honest with Uzura and Rina. As Fakir's daughter, Uzura knew how to handle cynical remarks, but Rina was not always so ready to accept them. This caused Uzura to sometime stand between her two friends, but their quarrels never lasted for very long.<br>Uzura had grown up to be quite the image of Duck with her salmon hair that she wore in a little pony tail high on the back of her head and, although her eyes were emerald green, they were the same shape as Duck's eyes. She was also quite small for her age and had little form in her figure, but she turned out to be a much better dancer and she made it into the Special Class when she turned fifteen. Their teacher, Mss Belle often remarked that she took after her father and wanted her to dance the music Fakir liked. Mss Belle had been his classmate when he was at school, but Fakir had never talked to her. She had been one of Rue's friends.  
>Uzura had a strong will and wanted to choose her own music. Fakir's favourite piece of Beethoven's Egmont Overture was too heavy and gloomy for her taste. She liked The dance of the unhatched chickens from Mussorgsky or the Overture from the Nutcracker.<br>In her class Uzura had two good friends, Lilith and Julia. Julia loved the pieces from Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty and was most serene in her dancing. She had soft blue eyes and golden hair that she wore in a short braid over her left shoulder. Julia was Mss Belle's favourite, but she did not know that herself. Lilith was different, she was obsessed with music pieces like the Bald Mountain from Mussorgsky and Dance Macabre from Saint Sean. She had platinum blonde hair and with her pale grey eyes she drove shivers down everyone's spine when she danced Giselle's Waltz of the dead. Mss Belle never gave her the credit she deserved. In fact she prevented Lilith from dancing the pieces of her own choosing if she could help it. Lilith never went against her teacher's will, but she was not happy with it. She was not as ready as Uzura to speak her mind.  
>The Special Class still had a strict number of five and among them was one boy. Uzura never spoke with him and she hardly knew his name. his name was Taris and he never said much, it was like he didn't had a personality. He only did everything the teacher told him to do without question and he always went straight home without a word. Clara was the last member of the class and she was the only one with whom Taris spoke. She had light brown hair that she pinned up into a curled up bun and she had very dark eyes. Clara did speak to Uzura and her friends, but she had a sharp tongue and that often hit the wrong points with Lilith. Uzura thought Clara much like Rue and continued to talk with her whenever she was not with Lilith and Julia.<p>

As members of the Special Class they all knew how to dance on point and dancing a Part de Deux was the next step. Because Taris was the only boy, the girls also learned how to dance the man's part. Uzura was thrilled to learn and didn't hide her enthusiasm, but she suddenly found herself also nervous. This was her reason for dancing ballet after all! Because she thought it so big a deal she was for the first time ever shy to show her skill. She only felt confident whenever she danced with Julia or Clara, because they were very confident themselves and hardly ever made a mistake.  
>When she danced with Julia she always danced the woman's part because she was much smaller than Julia was.<p>

"You are getting better and better, Uzura!" Julia said delighted when they finished their Part de Deux from Sleeping Beauty in an empty class room after school. They did this every Tuesday afternoon. Julia had a strong ambition to enter the Art's Festival and so climb up to have a career in the Theatre, so she persuaded Uzura and Lilith to do extra training with her. Uzura and Lilith didn't mind, they didn't know what they wanted to do after the Ballet Academy, but extra practice was never a loss. Uzura _wanted_ to perfect everything there is to dancing partnering. "You think so?" She replied and she whipped the sweat from her brow.

"Yeah, I mean it. You put your whole heart in it." Julia said. "Have you found a boy to dance with yet?"

"N-no." Uzura answered, suddenly taken aback by the question and her pale cheeks coloured. "You know that I want to find that feeling of love, like my parents."

"Well, you don't have to love the guy you are dancing with." Lilith said. And she handed both her friends a towel and a bottle with cold water. "I know you have this ideal you see every day at home, but it is pretty far-fetched. Not everybody can find love like in a fairy tale."

"You're right." Uzura said sadly and she looked at the floor. It was just that she wished for it, she wanted to know if she could love too.

"Ah don't be sad, Uzura!" Lilith cried out, suddenly filled with guilt at the sight of her friend's sad face. "I only mean that you have to look and not dream. The world is just a bit harder than in fairy tales, but if you wait, maybe something wonderful will come along."

"Really?" Uzura looked up with a smiling face and her green eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. Uzura was always in high spirits and it was nearly impossible to get her down. Lilith and Julia were used to it by now and were no longer surprised when their friend cheered up so quickly.

"Oh you three are still here?" A voice called from the door and the three friends turned around to see their teacher, smiling at them. "You are working hard." She said as she walked into the room.

"Yes ma'am, we practice here every week." Julia replied politely.

"I see, well that explains the major improvements I see with all three of you." Mss Belle smiled. She was strict, but also very kind and she thought it important for her students to be enthusiastic.  
>"Oh Uzura, I thought of something for you." She went on and she looked directly at Uzura.<p>

"For me?" Uzura asked surprised.

"Yes, I believe you've set your heart on dancing a Part de Deux and I really think you should ask Taris to dance with you. I think you two would match each other well. Up until now, only Clara have danced with him, but your style would inspire him, I think."

"Eh oh, I don't want to come between Clara and Taris." Uzura said quickly, but that was not really the reason. As far as she knew those two were just friends and Clara wouldn't be offended if she asked her, but Uzura really didn't feel like dancing with Taris. Where would the feeling of love be then?

"Don't worry, I can talk to Taris if you don't feel up to it." Mss Belle said comforting.

"No, that's not it!" Uzura blurred out and Mss Belle gave her a curious gaze.

"Do you have a fight with Taris?" she asked worried.

"No, ma'am. He actually never talks to me." Uzura said.

"Well then, maybe this is a good opportunity for you to get to know each other. Trust me, it will be good for you to dance with a male partner. You will learn it better and faster."

Lilith and Julia looked at their friend, but Uzura was speechless for once. She was curious to know the feeling of dancing with a boy, she was dying to know! But what if Taris ruined her dream? To her, it seemed that he had no feelings at all!

"Thank you ma'am. Can you ask Taris? I think it will be strange if I suddenly start talking to him." Uzura said at last. She just had to be brave. This could be her chance to improve herself and know more!

"No problem, I'm glad you agree with me." Mss Belle said kindly and she left the class room. Julia and Lilith gave Uzura a wondrous look but said nothing and silently they prepared to go home.

* * *

><p>Duck was waiting for Uzura at the gate like she always did with Isa at her hand. Duck and Fakir had never really stopped picking Uzura up from school even though she was no longer in any danger to be kidnapped. It had become a tradition that they liked to keep. Whenever Duck was unable to come, Fakir would pick her up instead and always they would bring Isa with them. She was eight years old now and went to an public school which was closer to home. Duck or Fakir would first go by Isa's school and bring her along to Uzura's school. Isa liked it a lot, she thought it a little trip she took every day and she wanted to be the first to talk to her big sister who, in her eyes, was already a great dancer.<p>

Uzura said goodbye to her friends and when she turned to ran towards her little sister, an identical smile, which they both had inherited from their mother, coloured their faces. It was actually the only thing that connected the two sisters in their features. Uzura had salmon hair and a pale skin and looked very much like Duck, but Isa was almost the spitting image of Fakir. She had his hair and skin, but instead of emerald green eyes, hers were ocean blue and her face was more round and she had freckles around her nose, like Duck had in the past.  
>Duck thought Isa a charming child, because she had Fakir's looks, but Rue had once pointed out that she looked rather gloomy. This was really not true, because Isa was as spirited as Uzura, but she also was a thinker and could spend hours thinking with a frown on her face. It was at such times that Rue had made her remark, mainly to annoy Fakir.<p>

"Sissy!" Isa called cheerfully to her big sister as Uzura arrived in front of her family.

"Shall we go?" Duck asked Uzura as happy as ever.

"Yep." Uzura replied as happy and she took Isa's other hand. As they walked home Uzura told her mother about her day. It was not very different from other days, but she told it anyway. She did not tell her mother and sister about her agreement to dance a Part de Deux with Taris, though, because she still had mixed feelings about it and did not know how to put it in words. So after she told her story till the point where Mss Belle had said that they made major improvements with their dancing, she asked how her mother's day went. Duck had worked for the first time at Ebine's restaurant and she had been very nervous about it.

"It was ok, I guess," Duck started doubtingly, "I broke one plate and mixed up the food orders a few times, but the customers were really patient with me and Mss Ebine forgave me for the broken plate. I only hope I can improve soon and not be a burden."

"Of course, mam!" Uzura said high spirited, she saw the fact that Duck only broke one plate on her first day as the prove that she was not a screw up.  
>"Mss Ebine is nice, she will give you time to improve."<p>

"You are right, Fakir too would probably say that I do not need to doubt myself." Duck said and she smiled at her children. Duck was still small and Uzura had almost caught up to her height. It would not be long before Uzura would stop growing and be the same height. Duck still had Princess Tutu's serene charm, but she had always kept her hair in a braid. It had been her way of cutting herself off from Princess Tutu and her history with Mytho. Her braid was a bit shorter though and now reached her waist. Since she had Isa, her hair wouldn't grow as well as before and she had to keep it shorter.  
>"How about you, Isa?" Duck asked her youngest daughter.<p>

"Richard had his birthday, so we celebrated it." Isa replied. She did not tell her stories as enthusiastic as Uzura, but you could always tell by the way her eyes sparkled that she had fun.

"Oh really? I guess Hermia forgot to tell me." Duck said and she looked thoughtful for a moment."

"No, Richard says he is going to have his party next week because his daddy is away." Isa told them.

"Oh I see, so Lysander is away eh? That's why Hermia's thoughts must be occupied." Duck said and she looked sympathetically.

"No, I don't think Mss Hermia is like you." Isa said suddenly.

"W-what do you mean? 'Like me'?" Duck reacted surprised.

"Daddy says that you miss him too soon when he goes away." Isa answered and Uzura nodded.

"H-he said that? Fakir!" Duck cried out and she drew a weird face. It was quite strange, Duck had such a calm beauty as she grew older, but her true character hadn't changed and unfortunately for her, her daughters had Fakir's way of teasing her.

* * *

><p>"Fakir, we're home!" Duck called up the stairs to Fakir's study.<p>

"Yes, I'll be right down!" Fakir replied. Duck and her daughters made themselves comfortable in the living room and shortly after they all had chosen a seat, Fakir entered the room as well.

"Welcome home." Fakir said smilingly and he looked at each of them in turn, then he sat himself down on the couch where Duck had saved him a seat.

"Hi daddy." Isa said beamingly. "You weren't lonely today, were you?"

Fakir grinned at her. "It was very quiet," he said, "but I worked hard and time flew by."  
>Fakir then looked at his wife. "And how was your day, Duck?" he asked her sweetly.<p>

"Well, I'm afraid I'll always be clumsy, but Mss Ebine is very patient with me, so I guess it was alright." Duck replied and she laughed awkwardly.

Like Duck, Fakir hadn't changed much in his character either. It was mostly because he had already changed his ways once and didn't feel the need to change anything else. He also kept his look, he had only grown older and his face appeared a bit thinner.  
>As the years passed, however, he had grown more social towards other people and also he would not make rash decisions because he had his family to think about.<br>One thing that would never change and had only grown stronger was his desire to protect the ones he loved. He had never forgot the things that had happened to Duck or Uzura, three years back when Drosselmeyer's right hand man wanted to use Uzura for his puppet collection and take Duck for his own. Nor did he ever forget the visit from Drosselmeyer, a week after Isa was born. He believed it was still his duty, not as a knight, but as a father and a husband, to protect them.  
>Fakir looked Duck deep in her eyes and reached out his hand to stroke her cheek. "Would it be alright if I kissed you?" he asked her softly.<p>

Duck blinked twice. "Why would you need to ask that?" she asked surprised.

"Because Isa and Uzura are still in the same room and you will get embarrassed again." Fakir said and he gave her a teasing grin.

Just as he expected, Duck's face became flaming red. "No, I m-mean yes.." she stammered.

"See?" Fakir said amused and he leaned forward to kiss her. Duck accepted it and lay her hands gently on his chest.

There was always something moving about the way they kissed. As if they found each other every day for the first time. Duck had been made to believe in the past that she was bound to sacrifice herself for her true love. The love that, she knew deep down, belonged with her best friend. Without realising it she wished for them to be happy together and knew that she did not belong with him. She had Fakir beside her, but only when Mytho had his heart back and realised he wanted to make Rue his princess, it struck Duck that she always had known that and blamed herself for being selfish. She had felt unnecessary, chasing after a happiness that was never there and wanted to vanish when Fakir showed her his deep feelings for her and she realised that she had been looking the wrong way. They had believed that they were too late and would never be able to be together, but now they had a family together. Duck was very grateful to Fakir and wanted to show him how much he meant to her and Fakir wanted nothing else but to make her happy.

"Sissy."

Uzura, who had been lost in the beauty of her parent's love, tore her eyes away and looked down at Isa who had been trying to draw her attention by pulling on her sleeve.

"Let's go." Isa said in a low voice and she dragged her sister past her parents and brought her to her room.

**AN: I hope this chapter has given you a good idea about the story, it also makes clear that I cannot fully neglect Fakir and Duck, I love them too much :P I hope you want to explore Uzura's story with me and I hope that it is not too confusing for those who have not read my other stories.**

**At the end of volume 2, Strings of love, Uzura becomes Fakir and Duck's daughter.**

**Review please! :) **


	3. The sound of a cello and an oboe

The sound of a cello and an oboe

Isa's room was not big but big enough. It had a square shape with two large windows looking over the street, facing east. Under the windows she had a few bookshelves filled with fairy tale books, toys and stuffed animals and dolls. Isa's favourite doll and guardian was Jack the Jester and he had a special place on the left side of her pillow. He was made from felt and his suit was red and black with golden buttons. Isa feared the dark and she believed that Jack would protect her. She also had a music box with a ballerina on her midnight shelf. The music box had a light that faded away when the music stopped playing Arabian dance from Nutcracker and the ballerina no longer spun around. Charon had made it for her when she was very small. Uzura had learned about her fear of the night and told him. Uzura knew what it was like to be afraid at night and so she wanted to do something for her little sister. Isa had doubts at first, she didn't believe anything or anyone could protect her better than Fakir, but Uzura understood that too and helped her through it.  
>On her light blue walls Isa hang her drawings and stories. She did not write much, only little pieces of text that hardly counted as poems, but she enjoyed doing it.<br>Isa had always played silently, Uzura had tried to bring her to play the drums when she was four, but she didn't succeed.  
>Isa didn't know of her power to spin stories, Fakir and Duck thought it too soon to tell her. It would scare her and it would result in her giving up something that helped her through her childhood. Uzura knew that Isa wrote down her thoughts and troubles and Isa had rather Uzura read them than that she had to explain the whole thing. So, like always, Uzura peered at the pages while Isa made herself comfortable on her bed. Uzura noticed a new rime and began to read it.<p>

'If you are not lost,

You are where you should be.

You are happy and free.

People are around, but they don't talk.

It is a lonely walk.

I am not lost and still I am not home,

I am sad and alone.'

"Isa." Uzura began and she felt a lump growing in her throat. "When did you write this?"

"Yesterday." Isa said guiltily and she sat up straight and made room for Uzura. Uzura accepted her invitation and sat down next to her.

"Are you not happy, Isa?" Uzura asked directly and she gave her little sister a really worried look.

"I am happy now!" Isa said quickly. "It is not finished, I'll make it better!"

"But why does it start so sad?" Uzura pressed on and she stared hard at her sister.

Isa sighed. "Kids forget me." She said and her eyes were filled with sadness. "I mean, I'm quiet, but I am still here!"

"But what about Richard? He doesn't forget you, does he?" Uzura asked a bit shocked at the thought that children could be that selfish.

"No Richard doesn't and Ron always drags me along. It was just yesterday that even they had suddenly forgotten me. I was not important." Isa said and she looked down at her knees.

"And today, didn't they talk to you anymore?"

"Richard had his birthday so he was more important today, but he made sure I wasn't forgotten. I am happy, really!" Isa said loudly, trying to make her sister stop staring at her. It worked and Uzura relaxed and thought of another topic to get Isa's mind off her troubles.

"You and Richard are very close, huh?" she said smilingly and her eyes began to twinkle.

"Not like you think!" Isa protested. She was right, at her age, things like that were usually not on a child's mind, but unfortunately for her Uzura had always been a different case.  
>"And I'm not only friends with Richard, Ron is always with us, in fact he always drags me everywhere. He can be very annoying." Isa said.<p>

"Ron is Piqué's son, isn't he?" Uzura asked out of the blue.

"Yes, why?" Isa replied slowly and a bit suspiciously.

"Mam never talks about it, but her friends, Piqué and Lillie, used to admire dad. Lillie had funny reasons, but Piqué had a deep crush on him, she just showed it funny. Maybe Ron feels the same way about you! I mean, he is very like his mam and you look a lot like dad!"

"Yes I know, that's why the other mums mistake me for a little boy." Isa replied grumpily, but then she realised what Uzura was getting at and she gave her a weird look.  
>"Why would anyone have a crush on me, that's stupid." She said bluntly.<p>

Uzura looked at her sister's stubborn face and burst into laughs. Isa looked at her angrily, but Uzura couldn't control herself.  
>"That's exactly what dad would say!" she said while laughing. "You even pull the same face!"<p>

Isa was annoyed and puffed up her cheeks in protest. It was not fair that her sister laughed at her like that. She had just spoken her mind! She couldn't help it that she resembled her father!

"I'm sorry." Uzura said and she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Now you look like me, when I got mad."

Uzura couldn't help but worry about Isa's poem. She just hoped Isa would cheer up soon and not feel lonely anymore. That's why, before she went down to have breakfast, she slipped into Isa's bed room and looked at her poems. To her delight, she immediately noticed the new lines under the latest one. She bent her head towards it and read the poem in its entirety.

'If you are not lost,

You are where you should be.

You are happy and free.

People are around, but they don't talk.

It is a lonely walk.

I am not lost and still I am not home,

I am sad and alone.'

'Hallo, why are you so sad?

I'm right here for you.

You do not see it, but I like you too!

Come on and take my hand,

I'll give you the strength to stand.'

'Who is that kind face?

Coming from beyond my dark daze.

Now I see, someone stands beside me.

I am where I am supposed to be.

You are my friend and I'm not alone.

How did I not see you here in my home?'

Uzura smiled and read the last couple of lines twice.  
>'Did Isa mean me?' she wondered. If that was true it made her very happy. If it was not true, then she was glad her sister could see her friends around her again. Uzura knew Richard and Ron only a little, but she was sure they wouldn't want Isa to be unhappy.<p>

"Uzura, are you coming down for Breakfast?" Duck called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Coming mam!" Uzura called back and she turned around and left her sister's room.  
>When Uzura came downstairs everyone was already having their breakfast and Duck poured her a cup of tea.<br>"Good morning!" Uzura said cheerfully to her family. They all greeted her, but only Duck looked like she was in the mood for a chat. She and Uzura were usually the ones who spoke.

"So, do you have a busy day today?" Duck asked Uzura as she finally sat down and got herself something to eat.

"Yes, but today we have mostly theory classes, so not much dancing." Uzura replied in high spirits. She was actually very happy about that. She still wanted to ask one of her parents advice before she had to dance with Taris. "At lunch I get to be with Rina and Van and I'm really looking forward to that. It has been so long because we have been very busy."

"Oh that sounds great!" Duck said enthusiastically while she buttered her toast. "Say hi for me to both of them and invite them here sometime." Duck looked at her husband.  
>"Is that alright, Fakir?" She asked him considerately.<p>

Fakir looked at her and it was clear on his face that he did not understand why she needed his permission for this.  
>"Of course," he said, "I'll be working anyway."<p>

Uzura knew that Duck considered the fact that Van was Autor's son, but she ought to know that Fakir had no problems with it. Fakir and Autor had a civil relationship and could even work together. They would never be real friends, but Autor did help Fakir in the past and Fakir was grateful to him for that. Also, Van took much more after his mother and had nothing of his father's snobby attitude, especially not to his friends' parents. The only thing he resembled to Autor was his hair colour, but he wore no glasses and he had kind pale blue eyes.

Uzura's day at school started with their theory class about Choreography. It was the most difficult subject and was only given to the members of the special class, because they had the largest chance to use it in the future in ballet and theatre. Most of their classes were taught by Mss Belle, but not this one. His name was Mr Thomas and he was a fierce looking man with a tall upright posture and a strict elderly face. He took his teachings very seriously and tolerated no carefree behaviour. Because he had only five students in his class, this was not difficult to obtain, but still he took no chances and everyone thought him very strict and Uzura knew of no one who didn't think Mr Thomas to be intimidating. Maybe Clara wasn't, but she hadn't really a reason to be, she always answered his questions correctly and sat in front of the class room.  
>Mr Thomas had a difficult issue for them today. They all had to choreograph an unique Part de Deux with a dozen dancers dancing around them and to top it off, they had to work alone. Normally Mr Thomas set them in two groups so they could discuss their thoughts, but not today.<br>Mr Thomas played for them the music piece on the music box in the corner of the room. It was a beautiful calming piece called Rain played on violin and piano and Uzura listened to it intently. She thought it a sad story of someone who had to wait for the day she and he loved one would be together again. Each of them told their story and they thought back on their time together. Uzura used this as her lining for the dance and began to sketch. The music stopped and Uzura tried to keep the music in her head, but it was not long before she only could remember the high notes of the violin and completely lost the sound of the piano. If only the violin had been as low as it had been at the end of the song!  
>The walls were quite thin and Uzura became aware of a beautiful soothing sound coming from the Music division next door. It was a cello, playing it's beautiful low tunes and it overpowered Uzura completely. She put her pen down and listened. She closed her eyes and began to think of a story that was told by the music. She could see a ship on the waves of the sea, making for a piece of land ahead. What was the land like, the crewmen wondered. They all had been at sea for so long and they longed for peace and firm ground. The winds had been rough and the captain wanted more for his family than this uncertain living that depended on the course of the wind.<br>The cello stopped playing and Uzura woke up from her fantasy. Hastily she looked down at her choreographic chard and realized that she had to finish it quickly before the lesson was over. By now she had completely forgotten what Rain sounded like and she used her original idea and some basic knowledge to complete it. Fortunately the class lasted for two hours and Uzura managed to finish it in time, but her head was completely off course and when the bell rang to announce lunch time, she ran out of the class room without speaking one word to Julia and Lilith. She ran down the staircase and it was not long before she emerged from the outer hall onto the school garden. Uzura walked to their standard meeting place on the green hill close to the fountain. When she walked to it, she could already spot Rina, her dark hair and skin delineating against the fresh green nature and white stones around the fountain. Uzura waved at her to draw her attention and ran towards her.

"Hi, Rina!" she said when she halted in front of her.

"Hey Uzura," greeted Rina back and a broad smile coloured her face, " it seems ages since I last saw you."

"Yes I know," Uzura dropped herself on the soft grass next to her friend, "how are you?"

"I've been busy, very busy." Rina replied and she sighed.

"Me too, I even agreed to do extra practise on Tuesday with friends. My friend want to enter the Art festival again this year."

"Oh yes, that's exactly what keeps me busy too. How nice!" Rina said pleasantly surprised.

"My friend's name is Julia, do you know her?"

"Not in person, but I think I know who you mean. She has blonde hair and wears it in a braid, right?"

"Yes, that's her!"

"She is nice and I'm sure she will get through the competition this year too. She is really good." Rina said nodding.

"You think so? I'll tell her you said that." Uzura replied beamingly.

"Please do, I mean it." Rina smiled, but then she looked towards the school and frowned. "Now, where's Van? Do you know?" she asked.

"No, all divisions have lunch break right now, right?" Uzura said thoughtfully and she looked around at all the students around them.

"I'm sure they have and I hope he is not still practising now. It has been so long since we last sat together." Rina looked annoyed.

"Let's go look for him." Uzura suggested and she stood up and cleaned the grass from her uniform.

"I don't know," Rina said doubtfully and she remained where she was, "should we just wait for him?"

"Come on, let's see what he is up to." Pressed Uzura on and her eyes sparkled with excitement.

Rina first looked reluctant to leave her spot and put her lunch on hold, but then curiosity got her too and before Uzura knew it, Rina was on her feet and ran towards the Music building. They passed a few music students on their way, but they didn't seem to notice them. They were either in conversation or concentrating on carrying their instruments.

"Listen if you can hear an oboe." Rina said softly as they reached the first row of lesson rooms.

"And a cello." Uzura added while she began to listen for any instrumental sound she might recognise.

"Why is that?" Rina wanted to know and she looked at her friend.

"I heard a cello playing earlier when I had my theory lesson and I really want to know who it was."

"I'm pretty sure there is more than one cello-player in the Music division." Rina joked.

"But that person played just now, I'm sure if I hear a cello, it is the same one." Uzura reasoned and she returned all her concentration to listening while they walked down the aisle of rooms. In truth she was more looking for the cello than for her friend, but then she caught the sound of an oboe and her heart sank a little. They found Van already and there was no more reason to look further, but then a cello began to play alongside the oboe and it came from the same room.

"That's Van!" Rina exclaimed and she ran to the right door and pressed her ear against the door.  
>"Come listen," she said and beckoned Uzura to come closer to the door, "do you know what music this is?"<p>

Uzura laid her ear against the door and listened intently. She still was more thrilled that she had found the cello-player and she knew it was the right one. Van played the melody of the song and it took Uzura not long to recognise it.

"It's from Scheherazade." Uzura told Rina. "I'm quite sure it's Van playing, together with the cello-player I heard before." she began to focus on the sound of the cello. It was moving and thoughtful and Uzura closed her eyes and let it take her away. She saw the ship once more and an outline of a young sailor who looked over the sea at the piece of land he would soon be living on, wondering what the town was like.  
>Next to her, Rina stepped away from the door and settled herself against the wall between two other doors.<p>

"Come on, let's wait outside." She said.

But Uzura didn't feel like moving and kept her eyes closed. The young sailor was up in the mast and she looked up at him from way below on the deck. Suddenly Uzura woke up with the sound of a footsteps close to the other side of the door and the sound of a door knop being turned. Quickly Uzura jumped away from the door and found herself looking startled at Van's surprised face when he opened the door entirely.

"Uzura, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Eh oh, we wondered if you are still going to have lunch with us." Uzura said quickly and her voice sounded a bit higher than normal.

"Uh?" Van looked past Uzura and saw Rina who tried to put on a nonchalant face, but couldn't hide her embarrassment.  
>"I figured, you would just start without me." Van said, still a bit blown away by Uzura's sudden appearance. "I was about to go to you, but the practise went so well and we forgot the time." He explained.<p>

Rina let go off the wall and went to stand at Uzura's right side. "Sorry, we wanted to wait for you, but.." she looked meaningfully at Uzura and Van's lips curled into a understanding smile.

"I see, that curiosity of yours." He said.

"I-I thought it was nice, the music I mean." Uzura tried to explain herself and she felt her cheeks burn. "I wanted to know who played that cello, I heard it play before in class and I really liked it." She decided to say.

"Really, you did?" An unfamiliar voice asked and Van stepped back so that Uzura and Rina could finally see who else was in the room. A boy with short dark brown hair and a modest face stood up from behind his cello and walked towards them. When he stood before them and Uzura could see him up close, her eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped. The boy had red-brown eyes, like warm embers in a comforting fire. They were narrow-shaped and together with his full eyebrows they gave him a deep thoughtful expression. His hair was cut just halfway his ears and it had a dark chestnut colour. His face was well-shaped with a good jaw and his skin was a bit darker than was common. He was certainly handsome and in a way he resembled Fakir back when he was seventeen. In fact it was almost impossible for this boy to be true!

"Hi, my name is Conrad." The boy said and he looked a bit shy at the new visitors. He then looked directly at Uzura and remained that way. His closed expression changed and his eyes were almost as large as Uzura's.

"Uzura?" Van waved with his hand in front of her eyes to get her attention.

Uzura blinked. "Huh, what?" she mumbled vaguely. She came to the realisation that her mouth had been slightly open and she swallowed uncomfortably. Her cheeks began to colour red and she knew that she looked very much like her mother right now.

"You sure are strange." Van said amused. "Conrad can play the cello very well, but he is still a normal human."

"Ah no, I'm sorry." Uzura was really ashamed now, but she seemed to be incapable of keeping her eyes off Conrad, who seemed to have the same issue. He had a look of astonishment on his face and seemed to be rooted on the spot. Van looked at him as well and sighed.

"You are both so strange." He said and he walked past them to leave the room. "Well we best go before lunch-time is over, are you coming too Conrad?"

Conrad tore his eyes away from Uzura and shook his head rather frantically. "No, I have other plans." He said and he smiled apologizing to Van and Rina. Rina smiled back and she and Van turned to leave, but Uzura couldn't get her feet to move. Conrad looked at her again, but this time he didn't stare, but looked very kind and he gave her a warm smile.  
>Uzura was completely blown away by this smile and she felt the urge to run, but she stayed for a bit longer and returned his smile with a very shy one. Her feet finally obeyed her and she ran after her friends. 'Why is my heart pounding-zura?' she wondered intrigued.<p>

**AN: For those of you who wondered where Uzura's key-word went. Well at some point she trained herself not to say it anymore, but whenever she wonders about something, something that has to do with the feelings she has, but does not understand, the word comes back to her. She still doesn't say it out loud much though.**

**So, another character, I hope you like him and I hope I created some questions for you. This story is all about wondering :) Please review!**


	4. A love guillotine

A love guillotine

In the evening Uzura was ready for some advice. The next day she would have to start training with Taris for she knew Mss Belle was not one to go back on an agreement and Uzura's doubts and fears began to grow stronger. So Uzura decided to go to Fakir, as she always did when she had questions. Fakir was in his and Duck's shared bedroom, reading the story he would show to his publisher the following day. Uzura knocked on the door and waited politely for his call of permission to enter. When she received it, she eased open the door and went silently inside. Fakir sat relaxed on his desk chair which he had drawn away from his desk. His eyes were at the pages in his hands and flashed right and left as he read his writing. Uzura slipped passed him and made herself comfortable on the bed. She stretched out her legs, dug her heels into the carpeted floor and waved playfully with her feet.

"Papa?" she began in her sweetest way.

"Hm?" Fakir didn't turn around, nor did he stop reading, but Uzura could tell from the tone in his voice that he was listening.

"Can you tell me what it is like to dance a Pas de Deux, properly, a boy dancing with a girl?"

Fakir put his story down and lay it carefully on the corner of his desk, then he turned his chair towards his daughter. Uzura greeted him with a beaming smile. He was going to give her an answer.

"Miss Belle wants me to dance with Taris, but I'm nervous about it." She explained.

"I think you are thinking about it too much." Fakir replied calmly and he gave Uzura a soothing smile. "It's a form of dancing that depends on trust."

"But what about feelings?" Uzura pressed on. "To express the feeling of the dance is important, right? A Pas de Deux is mainly a dance to express the feeling of love."

Fakir sighed indulgingly. "Uzura, in ballet you dance a Pas de Deux more than once and not always with the same partner. A true theatrical dancer will be able to express that feeling for the audience to understand the story, but you are not asked to play an emotion when you're dancing with someone." Fakir looked at Uzura encouragingly, but her smile faded a bit. She couldn't help but feel that Fakir had just burst her bubble.

"But, to dance so close with someone and to tell a love story, you must feel something." Uzura tried again and Fakir turned meaningfully his chair back towards his desk and picked up his manuscript.

"I think you have more luck if you talk to Duck." He said. "She loves to talk about that stuff."

Uzura knew he was right, so she wished him goodnight and went downstairs. There she found Duck, working hard on the dishes at the sink in the kitchen. Smiling Uzura took a dishcloth and started to wipe the first plate from the pile of plates her mother had put on the left side of the sink.

"Thank you, sweetie." Duck said gratefully.

"Mam, can you tell me something about dancing a Pas de Deux?" Uzura asked while she began to dry more plates, cups and cutlery.

"You know I wasn't good at ballet, why don't you ask Fakir?" Duck said and she gave her daughter a brief surprised look.

"I did, but when I asked him about the feelings you get when you dance together he said I should ask you." Uzura said and she sounded a little annoyed from being send from one to the other.

Duck's lips curled into an amused smile. "I see, Fakir is still not one to talk about his feelings, is he? Not if he can help it." She then looked once again at Uzura.  
>"Uzura, why do you always go to Fakir? You must know by now that he doesn't answer the questions you have."<p>

"I don't know," Uzura began thoughtfully, "I guess I know dad has a lot of strong feelings, he is understandable and cares deeply for the ones who are close to him. I see that he understand the feelings I wonder about."

"Yes, he does." Duck said softly. "I never forget the time I saw him cry alone. The night he thought he couldn't do anything for Mytho. I knew then that I had been very wrong about him."

Uzura watched her mother with beaming eyes. Only by picturing the memory she seemed to fall in love all over again. It was silent for a while as Duck's mind seemed to be far away, until she blinked and broke the silence with a deep dreamy sigh.

"Sorry, you asked me about dancing a Pas de Deux?" she said apologising. "Well actually, my first Pas de Deux was with Rue and I was really bad at it. She moved so quickly and flawlessly that I had a hard time keeping up with her, but we finished it and Rue was really patient and kind with me. At that moment, I knew we could be the best of friends and I held on to that moment for a very long time to make myself believe that Rue wasn't Kraehe. That Pas de Deux is still very important to me and I think that dancing together can mean so much more."

Uzura listened intently and although she considered what her mother said, it wasn't what she wanted to know.  
>"I actually mean the feeling of dancing with a boy." Uzura said carefully.<p>

"Oh, that's different." Duck said and it was not long before her eyes sparkled with new memories. "My first Pas de Deux with a boy was not romantic." She said, but her smile didn't speak of a bad memory. "I wanted to dance with Mytho, but Fakir prevented that by sacrificing himself to dance with me. I trusted him as much as he trusted me and we didn't dance like we were meant to, even though his moves were flawless."

Uzura was intrigued by this, for she knew her dance tomorrow would be as cold and she opened her mouth to ask her mother how she managed it, when Duck's gaze became soft and dreamy again.  
>"But, you know," She said softly, "I was overwhelmed by his strong support and it made me feel all tingly inside. It was the way he could lift me with one hand around my waist and how warm his body felt whenever I came close to his chest and even though he looked at me with coldness and distrust, I felt my face blush whenever he brought his face close to mine. I knew now that my heart had begun to melt for him from that moment on. Off course I started to deny it right away." Duck supressed a girly giggle. "My first reason for denial was directly after the dance when he dropped me."<p>

"He dropped you?" Uzura repeated suddenly shocked. She had been listening to her mother's love story with her own concern screaming in her head. If a Pas de Deux was powerful enough to get two people who distrusted each other so much to love each other even more in the end, then Uzura really didn't want to dance with Taris. She didn't even hate him! What if that meant her fate was sealed? Then she rather waited. Conrad suddenly popped inside her head. She really wanted to get to know him and she wouldn't let anything get in her way! But this last bit of Duck's story shot Uzura's head out of her own conclusions.  
>"How did he drop you?" she asked, still shocked.<p>

"Well, he let go off me suddenly at the end of the dance and left me to land on my own. I managed, but only barely." Duck still smiled and didn't think it a big deal, but Uzura who had never seen Fakir being mean towards Duck, couldn't believe it.

"I don't believe it!" she exclaimed.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you will be fine, Uzura." Duck assured her. "Who knows, maybe Taris cares for you."

'I hope not!' Was the first thing Uzura thought, but she decided not to say that out loud.  
>"He doesn't seem to have emotions at all." She said a bit sarcastically.<p>

"I don't think you need to worry about it, even when you are right. I think he can learn from you!" Duck replied soothingly.

Uzura felt a bit better. After all, she still liked the idea of learning new things and the idea that someone could learn from her excited her, but she still didn't see it happening. She smiled.  
>"I don't get it-zura!" she joked.<p>

Duck chuckled. "I haven't heard that in a very long time." She said. "Don't think about it too much, ok? And don't let my story scare you. You don't have to fall in love with him if you don't want to, just do not deny your feelings."

* * *

><p>The next morning Uzura woke up feeling all stiff and sore. The air in her room was damp and she shivered heavily as she walked to her window to close it. For a while she stared blankly at the misty morning. Everything her parents had said to her to help had slipped her mind. Gloomily she turned away from the bleak nothingness that was once her view of the streets and got herself dressed. Reluctantly she went downstairs to have breakfast, feeling more and more that she was moving towards her death sentence.<br>Duck took the hint and silently prepared Uzura's lunch. Giving her an encouraging smile now and then. Uzura had managed to be rather late and Fakir had already left with Isa. This Uzura thought a shame. She had hoped Isa's worriless view of a new day might cheer her up. Now she feared Duck actually emphasized her doom by showing her so much sympathy. When Uzura stepped outside, the chilly air immediately got in her limbs and she thought her only hope was to give in to the growing stiffness and tell Mss Belle she couldn't dance.  
>Uzura sighed. 'That would be too convenient, the school is always comfortable and warm in this time of year.'<br>So she pressed on and made her way through the thick mist to school. Overhead she could hear high cries from large white birds that were almost completely camouflaged by the white sky. It struck Uzura how far the distends between her house and the school was. She lived just out of town, behind one of the five gates. It had been her father's choice years ago when he cut himself off from the live he had lived. Mytho had gone back to the story and Duck was gone, there had been no reason for him anymore to stay at the Academy and study ballet. The gates opened to a world beyond the town and Fakir had taken his chance to finally set himself free from all those people who didn't know anything. He bought a house just behind one of the gates, near the lake where Duck had come from. She was his main reason to forget the town and chose solitude. After she had given up her human form, she too had nothing left. No one in town knew what she had done for them and no one would ever recognise her again or even remember her name. Fakir wanted to spare Duck the pain of seeing her friends treat her as just a duck and never again as a person.  
>Now that Uzura thought about it, her mother had been a duck for four years, before she died and Drosselmeyer gave her a second chance by giving her back her human form. Her father had tried to do that for her himself, all those years, but couldn't succeed. All those years he had to accept the fact that the love of his life would never be with him like he wanted her to be and would die as a duck. Uzura swallowed. 'I know Drosselmeyer did it to entertain himself and didn't think twice about it, but I'm grateful to him for saving my mother's life and giving my father the happiness he deserves.'<p>

Uzura walked through the gate which looked dark and ominous and blurry shaped and could see the top of the main school building above the maze of roofs. Uzura began to feel sick with nerves. Her feet kept on moving forwards and she wondered why she didn't simply turn and ran home. She took a deep breath and decided to try and think of something nice. She closed her eyes and brought the tunes of Conrad's music into her head. When she had her grasp on the wonderful soothing sound she forgot her own discomfort and managed a smile. She wondered what Conrad was like and wanted to talk to him. He had given her such a beautiful smile the other day, but they hadn't talked. In fact he looked like he didn't dare. Why was that? Was he actually shy? It was an emotion Uzura barely knew and she wanted to know what it was that made someone shy.  
>'Maybe I can go to him during lunch break.' She thought and that thought made the sight of the school look different. Suddenly it was a sight of wonder and new experiences. She closed her eyes, still smiling, and pictured the ship again, the one of which Conrad's music seemed to tell. She could see the young sailor, high in the mast, looking at the approaching harbour. A girl waited for him on the dock. She waited there in the cold, wondering if he would be as happy to see her as she was to see him. The ship got closer to the dock, but it moved too slow for her liking and she still couldn't see his face clearly. Would he still remember her? Would he show her that smile again?<br>The ship finally arrived at the dock and the young sailor jumped off the railing of the ship onto the dock. He halted just in front of the girl, as he had meant to, he looked at her and showed her the smile she had been longing for. She returned the smile radiantly and came a bit closer. Silently they looked each other warmly in the eyes..

"Uzura!"

Someone tore Uzura out of her fantasy and her first reaction was very annoyed, but she pulled herself together quickly and turned around to see who called her name.

"Good morning!" Clara called out to her as she came closer in a quick walk.

"Good morning." Uzura greeted her when Clara caught up with her. "I didn't know you came this way, Clara."

"Oh yes, I live just outside town, like you, but a bit away, a gate further I think. I don't know exactly."

Uzura looked at Clara, still surprised by her sudden appearance. She looked cheerful, but at the same time troubled and Uzura wondered why that was, but Clara got her first.

"Is everything alright, Uzura?" she asked.

"Oh well, actually no." Uzura replied honestly. "Did you hear that Mss Belle wants me to team me up with Taris?"

"Yes, she told me yesterday, but why does that bother you? Taris is a very good dancer and he will treat you kindly, I'm sure."

"I don't know, I never talked to him before. I'm starting to think that he avoids me on purpose." Uzura was glad Clara was there at the right moment. She was the only one close to Taris and she could offer some help.

Clara looked thoughtfully. "No, I don't think so." She said slowly. "He never had talked to me if I hadn't forced my way through his wall. He is a bit socially awkward."

Uzura was amazed how someone could say that about someone and still seem amiable towards that person. "Why did you force your way through his wall?" Uzura wanted to know.

"Because he needed it!" Clara said without any doubt about the matter. "That boy doesn't achieve anything if he keeps shutting himself off from everyone and I told him so."

"And he wasn't angry with you?" Uzura asked, even more amazed.

"Of course not, because it was the truth. I wanted to help him and he knew that." Clara said proudly.

Uzura gave Clara a nervous smile, somehow this information made Taris seem more distend.

"Um, good morning." An uncertain voice said and Clara and Uzura turned to see who had spoken. They had arrived at the gate to the school and when they looked to their left none other than Taris came walking their way. Taris was a tall boy with flaming red hair and a long bony face. His expression was as always hard to read.

"Good morning." Clara greeted him cheerfully, but Uzura had lost her ability to speak and watched Taris as if he was the very person who came to bring her the news of her early execution. Taris, however, unexpectedly turned to her and gave her a smile, something Uzura had never seen him do.

"Good morning to you too, Mss Uzura." He said to her pleasantly. It threw Uzura completely off her track, but luckily Taris kept on talking so she didn't have to yet. "Mss Belle asked me to start training with you and she said that you agreed to do it."

"Yes!" Uzura squeaked and it sounded so forced and untrue that she tried again. "Yes." She said again, more calmly and she even managed to smile, although it was a bit awkwardly. 'Is this what it is like to be shy?' Shot through her head, but she quickly pushed the thought away.  
>"Please be patient with me." She said to Taris.<p>

"That won't be necessary I think." Clara said in Taris place, who appeared to have lost his tongue again. "You are a very good dancer and I know Taris has noticed that as well."  
>Taris nodded.<br>"Shall we go then? Class is about to start." Clara said and she took Taris' arm as if he was a lost child and stirred him into the school. Uzura followed them, feeling confused and dizzy. Just before she went inside the main building, she looked to her left to the Music building.

'I only have to make it till lunch-time.' She thought.

* * *

><p>Luckily for Uzura she had an entire hour of basic training to prepare herself mentally. Lilith and Julia found their friend quickly to wish her luck, but couldn't do more to support her. They seemed glad Uzura was willing to give Taris a chance, and why shouldn't she? He proved to be not that bad. Actually he seemed nice, just very shy. Uzura hadn't told her friends about Conrad, after all, she didn't really knew him yet, only his music.<br>When it was time for Uzura and Taris to team up it became clear that Mss Belle wanted to seal Uzura's fate. The Pas de Deux she wanted them to practise together was from Romeo and Julia. Uzura could see the shape of the guillotine in front of her now, all that was left for Taris to do was to lay her head on the chopping block. Uzura looked at the chard of dance moves. There were a lot of lifts involved and at some points Taris had to drag her up from the floor. She looked nervously at him, but he avoided her eye by addressing the teacher.

"Are you sure we can start with this, Mss?" he asked her.

Mss Belle smiled kindly. "Yes, both of you have no trouble with lifts and this dance has a lot of individual jumps that will help you improve."

So Taris and Uzura had to agree. The dance was not only about love, but mainly about sorrow and that knowledge consoled Uzura a bit, because it would not be too romantic. The music too was very tragic with high violins. That helped too, it banned Conrad's cello from her mind.

They started training and the first move they had to do was only principally difficult. Uzura was supposed to beg her Romeo not to go and had to put his arms around her. originally the actors would kiss, but Uzura took her father's advice and decided they didn't had to. The lifts were indeed no trouble. Uzura was very small and light and Taris being as tall as he was, could pick her up and swing her around easily. Uzura let his warm hands close around her waist and turn and drag her around, she even managed to enjoy it and the uncomfortable feeling left her. They laughed together and talked and the best thing was that Uzura didn't had any of the feelings her mother had described.

**AN: So another chapter ready :) How do you like it? I trust you don't mind Duck and Fakir's love taking the spotlight a bit, hihi, but seriously I won't spoil anything!**

**Please review!**


	5. Conrad

Conrad

Weeks passed and the weather in Gold Crown town kept on changing. Every morning a heavy fog filled the streets and slowly evolved into a drizzle that continued till the early evening. Some parts in the town remained dark and Uzura sped passed them whenever she got into town. Things started to worry her parents. Her father and his best friend and neighbour Mytho talked more and more in private and whenever Fakir shared the information with his wife, he sounded utmost urgent and concerned. He even spoke of Mr Autor a few times and Uzura began to consider asking Van if he knew something. The weather was certainly peculiar, of course it had been misty before and no one was a stranger to drizzle and heavy rain, but it brought a strange salty smell that had never been in the air before. Also Uzura saw more and more of those large white birds. They had sharp yellow beaks and piercing eyes and the sound they made was high and eerie.  
>Isa too, didn't trust the new changes in her home town and she barely went anywhere without her dear guardian Jack the Jester. She became very cautious and at night, whenever Uzura had trouble sleeping, she could hear Isa's music box play throughout the night. Isa was afraid to shut her eyes at night and Uzura didn't know why. In the morning Isa looked very tired and both her parents and expressed their concern to her, but Isa didn't want to talk, as if she was afraid to say it.<p>

Uzura's life continued and although she was very worried about Isa, she also got consumed by her busy life. Almost every day she practiced with Taris and it went well. She learned to accept the fact that Taris was not one to talk much and she began to consider him a friend. It was very comfortable dancing with him, because he seemed to trust her and so she could trust him as well. Their dancing was still unemotional, but Uzura hoped it would improve eventually. She understood now that a Pas de Deux didn't have to be about love, but she knew that _some_ emotion was required! She wanted to dream away and forget the cold and stiffness in her bones. She longed for Conrad's music to take her far away, she longed for it so much that she went to the Music building whenever she could and thought of nothing else. Whenever she could hear Conrad, with or without Van, play she crouched down in the bushes underneath the window of the practice room and sat there to listen. Every time Conrad played she thought of her sailor at sea and she got out her sketchbook and began to write her thoughts down. Uzura didn't want Van to know that she secretly visited his school to listen and she made sure she was not to be seen. Still she wanted to talk to Conrad, and she wondered why she was such a coward!  
>One day, however, she found her luck. She had settled herself just out of side of the window and watched Conrad play. He had a frown on his face as he bent his head over his cello, causing his hair to fall over his eyes. He played a tune that reminded Uzura of a dangerous storm at sea, but still he looked so peaceful whilst he played it. Uzura felt her cheeks blush when she looked at him. He looked so dreamy in profile with his sharp nose and round chin. No wonder she pictured him as a sailor, he looked so brave. She was so busy watching Conrad that she didn't notice that Van had stopped playing and began to pack his oboe to leave. With a shock Uzura realised that Van would pass her on his way out! She jumped to her feet and cleaned the grass and leaves from her uniform and hurried away from the bushes. If she could fool Van that she just passed there by mistake she could tell him that she had no time for lunch and ask him if he could make an excuse for her in front of Rina. Of course, it would be even better if Van didn't see her at all and she hid herself behind a few people by the fountain. Her plan worked and Van passed her without looking her way. This was her chance to talk to Conrad.<br>'Here we go.' She thought nervously and she took a deep breath.  
>She knocked on the door of the right class room and waited for his permission to enter. He answered, but rather nonchalantly and when Uzura opened the door she immediately understood why.<p>

"I don't think you forgot anything, Van." Conrad said while he stood with his back turned to the door, busily packing his cello.

"I don't think Van forgot anything either." Uzura replied amused. She saw Conrad freeze in surprise. He turned around slowly and when he saw who had spoken his eyes became as wide as the first time he laid eyes on Uzura.

"Oh. I'm so sorry." He said.

"That's alright." Uzura said smilingly. "Actually, I saw Van leave and I wondered why you weren't with him. Don't you think you should take a break?" Uzura said to him and she smiled at him soothingly. It was obvious she had to let him know that he could relax, because he was still staring at her. It made Uzura very uncomfortable. She wanted him to feel welcome, but instead she blurred out:  
>"Why are you staring at me?"<p>

Conrad blinked. "Do I?" he asked surprised.

"Yes, you do." Uzura said a bit harshly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to. I don't know why." Conrad said shyly. He turned away again and continued wrapping up his cello rather frantically. "Um I guess you have such unusual hair and it amazed me when I saw you with your mother the other day that you look so much like her. I mean, I know people take after their parents, but still you are a spitting image of her!"

"I have my father's eyes!" Uzura blurred out without thinking. Afterwards she wondered why she felt to need to say that, she liked it very much that she looked like her mother. Considering she didn't always had one.

Conrad turned around again to see Uzura's urgent face when it came to the acknowledgement of her father. "Really?" he reacted surprised, "but your eyes are so warm and kind!"

Uzura was offended. "My father is very kind and his eyes are the same as mine!" she snapped.

Conrad was truly startled by her fierce reaction. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you or your dad, it is just that I heard some things about him." He said and he came closer to assure Uzura he meant her no insult.

"Well you should not always listen!" Uzura snapped again. "Maybe he made wrong choices before he met my mother and he still doesn't care about the opinion of others, but he would do anything for the ones he cares about!" Uzura stared hard into Conrad's warm smouldering eyes and saw with delight that he believed her and felt stupid for his quick conclusions.

He stepped back again and hit his face hard with his hand. "Sorry." He said again sincerely.

Uzura smiled sweetly. She had to understand, he was friends with Van, Autor's son. It was not odd that he heard some bad stories about Fakir. Also he was a newcomer and people still talked, especially the children whose parents had gone to the academy in Fakir's time. "I'm sorry, I know where the stories come from." Uzura said softly and her sad tone made Conrad look at her in shock and concern. He approached her again, but remained silent and let Uzura pull herself together.

"Do, do you want to spend the lunch break with me?" He asked her suddenly and his voice was soft and shy.

Uzura looked at his kind face and felt her face colour from porcelain to deep red from embarrassment. "We can catch up with Rina and Van." She replied in the same soft tone, but in truth she really didn't want to.

"Van knows I won't interfere with him and his friends, but I know Rina is a nice girl, he told me." Conrad replied.

Uzura made room in her perplexity that Conrad wanted to spend time with her alone for that curious piece of information. 'So Van talks about Rina, eh?' she thought amused.  
>'And what about me?' she wanted to ask him, but Conrad answered her question for her.<p>

"A-and of course I know you are kind!" he blurred out and a blush coloured his tanned face.

"The break is almost over." Uzura remarked softly, just to say something.

"Shall we stay here then?" Conrad said and he managed to give her a somewhat nervous smile.

"Sure." Uzura replied with a smile and just to give away the impression that she was not nervous at all, she walked to the nearest table and hopped on top of it. Conrad gave her a grin and joined her.  
>"You are new in town right? Can you tell me about your live before you came here?" Uzura asked him intrigued as soon as he sat down next to her. He gave her a sheepish smile, which she equally returned. The sooner they had a conversation the quicker her heart would stop missing beats! Now that he was right next to her, she noticed that Conrad was not much taller than she was, he out grew her by only a few inches. Uzura liked it better. It was more comfortable to talk to someone of your height and Conrad never had to lift her in a dance anyway.<br>"Where did you live?" she asked him spirited.

"Anywhere, really. My dad was a tradesman, but he wanted to make life easier for me and my mum and bought a house in this town. Now he sells his goods at Market Square." Conrad told her and Uzura had just the time to be amazed how close his real story was to her imagination, when he went on. "I guess my dad also wanted me to do a proper study. He is the one who taught me how to play the cello and I've always wanted to dedicate my studies to music and now I can. My knowledge was enough to let me skip the Beginner's class and I ended up in this class. I was quite impressed to find such a young person like Van here, but he is the only one I really talk to. The others are not unkind, but they are a bit too competitive." He looked at Uzura and grinned.  
>"Sorry, I didn't mean to talk so much."<p>

Uzura found herself giggling at that. It had been so long since someone talked to her like that. Lately _she_ always had to be the one to talk. "Oh, that's alright, I like long conversations." She told him.  
>"I know what you mean, about classmates. It's not like you can pick them out. I have two good friends in my class and they are great, but my best friends are Van and Rina. I met Rina long ago, on my very first day of school when I was three years old and we have been best friends since. It is a pity we don't do the same study. I could go to the Art academy, I liked drawing and writing very much, but I wanted experience the same things my parents experienced in their study. Actually I still want to see if I can find what they found."<p>

"And what is that?" Conrad asked intrigued.

"The beauty of many feelings, the power to love someone very strongly." Uzura looked forwards in a daze and spoke softly and sincere.  
>"I see it every day. I still don't understand love and yet it is represented in so many stories and ballets. That's why I study ballet, but now I learn how to dance together and feel nothing. It's strange."<p>

"I think you already understand it." Conrad said.

"No I don't. My parents do and I've been watching them from the time I was really small. I am still wondering how their love came to be and it stays so strong." Uzura sighed and looked at her companion. "Sorry, I'm talking about my parents again."

Conrad smiled at her warmly. "Like I said I think you already understand those feelings. You look so …. eh peaceful when you speak of this and it makes me happy just to sit next to you."

Uzura had a hunch Conrad was choosing his words carefully, but she didn't think he was lying. He was complementing her! Now she had to say something nice about him. She loved his music, but she already told him that. He was handsome and kinder than she could have dreamed, but she didn't feel like saying that!  
>"Eh, thank you." She whispered and she looked at her hands for a while.<p>

"So you like to wonder about things?" Conrad began again to keep the conversation going. He jumped off the table and came back with two large buns and gave one to Uzura.

Uzura took it gratefully and thanked him with a fleeting look into his warm eyes. "Yes, well about feelings mostly." She replied to his question. "You see, I watched my dad, but he doesn't really talk about his feelings. He has a big heart and it's full of all kinds of feelings. My mother too, but she is easily distracted and can't give me straight answers, but I know that they mean everything to each other and I love seeing it every day and wonder at it. It is just wonderful."

"You are part of a loving family, it is as simple as that, but I understand what you mean. I don't know much about love and the need to be there for someone either." He looked at Uzura and she stared into his eyes. He looked wonderingly and it seemed that he had a question at the tip of his tongue.  
>"Uzura, are you a love child? I'm sorry, it's none of my business, but your parents are very young, right?"<p>

Uzura stared at him, then thought deeply for a moment. "I guess I am, I've always been." She replied and she gave him a radiant smile. The question made Uzura actually really happy. It settled something about herself. If she was a love child, she would think of love and search for it. Yes, that's what she was.

Conrad blinked and raised an eyebrow, her answer had surprised him, but he let it go and chuckling he took a bite from his bun. At that moment the door of the class room opened and a girl with a dark brown braid wearing a baby blue dress entered.

"Oh," she said and she immediately looked amused. "We thought you liked to be here alone, Conrad." She joked.

"Uzura jumped off the table with a start. "Has the bell rang already?" she asked the girl.

"Yes, but only just. Still I would hurry if I were you." The girl answered. She smiled at Uzura and didn't look unkind, but she still looked amused and Uzura feared she might make it difficult for Conrad later on.

Uzura ran to the door and swung it open to leave. "Bye!" she called to Conrad and left. She did look at him briefly and saw that he wanted to say something, but Uzura had no more time to stay. She closed the door behind her and raced to the main building. She felt bad for Conrad, thanks to her he had to explain himself to his whole class. She too would have to explain herself to Taris, Julia and Lilith, but when she nearly reached the gate she saw with dismay that she needed to explain herself to two more people. Van and Rina walked just in her direction and saw her. why were they even together? Why didn't Rina just go to the Art building at the right side of the school?

"Uzura, where were you?" Rina called to her as she closed in on her with Van in her wake.

"Um.." Uzura began nervously and she looked from one accusing face to the other, then she decided to just say it quickly. "I talked with Conrad and completely forgot the time, please forgive me!"  
>Without waiting for an answer from either of them she ran into the main building to get to her class.<p>

* * *

><p>Once she arrived in the class room for the remainder of her practical lessons, Julia and Lilith heard her out as well. This took more time, because Uzura had to tell them first who Conrad was and how she knew him. Uzura was even forced to admit that she had been sneaking out on breaks to hear him play. Julia, being the fair maiden that she was, forgave Uzura immediately and wanted to know more about Conrad.<br>"I never pictured you with Taris anyway." She reasoned. "The strange mixture your hair colours couldn't be a good sign."

Lilith was less generous. "It is wonderful that you found your prince, but you mustn't forget your friends."

Uzura blushed at that. "He is not my prince." she said flustered. "I don't believe in princes."

* * *

><p>"Uzura."<br>Someone called her in her subconscious at night and when Uzura turned to see who was calling she found that she was standing on the edge of the misty lake she had been visiting for many years. As she recognised the scenery, she knew who had come to talk to her.

"Myself?" she called and she looked about. True enough, Edel appeared out of the mist at her call and she smiled.

"Yes Uzura, but like I told you before, though I once told you that you were me, it is not entirely true." She said in her calm voice. "It is true that you were created from my wood, but as I am unable to have a heart, you are not. Now that you are human and have grown, you and I are no longer the same."

"But, you can smile, can't you?" Uzura said and she smiled sadly. Edel was still so tragic.

"Yes, but you can feel so much more. I know you know that by now." Edel replied.

"I guess, why did you come?" Uzura didn't want to be rude, but Edel's reappearance never boated for much good. She always appeared whenever she wanted to be of assistance and that came with the need for it.

"A new story is about to begin."

"A new story?" Uzura felt an icy cold close around of her heart at the mere thought of it and images of a cage and puppet strings flashed through her mind.

"Yes, for eight years it has waited and now it is unavoidable. I am sorry Uzura, but I'm afraid that you are partly the cause of it." Edel said sadly.

"Me?"

"Yes, you are the means that still sets this town on the edge of fantasy and reality. You are the doll that began to move and now lives as a human. Even though the Prince and the Raven is over, you are still an impossible fact left in a normal town."

"What can I do?" Uzura asked in a small voice and she felt large tears rolling over her eyes. what Edel said hurt her.

"I'm afraid you can't. Be brave Uzura, for what is coming and stay away from the harbour."

**AN: I was afraid I had no ideas for this chapter, then, with help from the right music, it came to me suddenly! I hope you like it. Next chapter will be called 'Uzura' and it will be entirely from Conrad's point of view. :)**

**Look up Arwen's Vigil from the Piano guys, it's the tune of this story. (according to me) :D**

**Please review!**


	6. Uzura

Uzura

Conrad put down his bow and stood up to stretch his legs. School was closing, but he and Van had stayed to go over some difficult measures in their latest music piece together. Conrad and Van chose to work together on many music pieces, their tastes in music, as well as their skill and instruments harmonised perfectly.  
>Conrad knew his partner was tired too because he hadn't spoken for a long time and Conrad walked to the window and looked absentmindedly below at the side of the building with its little garden. He wanted to postpone the heavy task of packing his cello. He just looked at the bushes sticking out from under the window, when he got a glimpse of salmon hair that made his stomach made a strange turn.<p>

"Is that Uzura?" He said surprised.

Van came to the window as well and looked down into the side-garden. Uzura was now clearly visible and she seemed to be startled by something, because she looked frantically ahead as if someone had called her name suddenly. She began to pack her things quickly.

"Yes, that's Uzura." Van remarked as he watched his friend bustle about with an amused smile on his face. "I get the feeling that she comes here often to listen to you."

Conrad's heart made a skip. "You mean 'to us'?" He said, but Van didn't think he was wrong.

"No I'm pretty sure she comes for you. She told you that she likes your music." Van said matter-of-factly, oblivious to his friends discomfort. He turned his back to the window and walked back to his table to clean up for today.  
>"I was surprised she talked to you yesterday." He went on conversationally. "Normally Uzura isn't one to be shy, but this was a very bold move for her. You two seemed to get along well, according to Ella."<p>

Conrad didn't reply. He knew that Van wanted a reaction, but Conrad had no interest nor energy to give him the satisfaction. Right now, he just watched Uzura silently as she ran to whoever was calling her. He wanted to know why she hid herself from him and he let out a deep sigh before he could control himself, but luckily Van didn't hear it.  
>Uzura left and Conrad wanted to turn away to finally pack his cello when he noticed something in the grass. A piece of paper.<br>"She dropped something." He remarked, and turned away from the window. Not caring how pathetically desperate it seemed, he ran out of the class room to get to the paper before the wind could. He darted around the corner of the building and snatched the piece of paper from the ground. When he looked at it he saw that it was part of a story Uzura had been writing while she listened to him play. Conrad began to read it while he returned to the class room.

"Is that Uzura's?" Van asked when he saw Conrad come in.

Conrad only nodded while he kept his eyes at the story, becoming more and more puzzled as he read it. This story was telling about a ship in a heavy storm.  
>"It's a story," Conrad told Van, "and a very tragic one too to be written by someone as sweet and cheerful as Uzura." Conrad frowned. It was obvious that Uzura had written it while she listened to them playing. The piece Van and Conrad had played wasn't called 'The storm', however it had reminded Conrad of a dramatic storm and it had almost caused him to cancel on the music. It was almost as if Uzura had been with him at the time, inside his head.<br>"I wonder about her." He muttered.

Van chuckled at that. "Interesting choosing of words," he said, "Uzura is all about wonder."

"When I spoke to her yesterday I asked her if she had been a love child." Conrad confessed to his friend and he looked intrigued.  
>"When she answered me I knew she had misunderstood me."<p>

"Yes, she has misunderstood you." Van replied resolutely and he stopped in the middle of cleaning his oboe to look at his friend, his eyes were very serious.  
>"You see, Uzura heard two words, 'child' and 'love' and understood them as just that, not knowing the meaning behind it. Uzura is not a love child and everyone in this town knows her story. There are few who come from out of town and even less stay here. Your family is the first one in years to move here and the reason for that is not unknown. Strange things happened in this town and it is named to be haunted. Well, Gold Crown Town is not haunted, but stories and reality used to intermingle here years ago." Van paused to let his friend get his head around this information and it was quite needed.<p>

"Intermingled? How?" Conrad asked and he too left his things for what they were. This story promised to be important and also very complicated.

Van fully turned his back to his table and leaned against it, placing his hands around the rim of the table. He looked thoughtful, like he wondered how to begin.  
>"There once lived a story-spinner in this town. A mad man with the power to make stories into reality. In fear of his power, the villagers killed him, but the man was cunning and had already installed a device that continued his story. The man still controlled the town from his shadowy realm between here and the afterlife and nineteen years ago the story of the Prince and the Raven became real in this town. It was meant to be a never ending tragedy about a prince who would shatter his own heart in order to seal away the monstrous Raven. You see, as much as the mad man loved tragedies, he didn't like to see them end."<p>

"What was this man's name?" Conrad asked with held breath.

"Drosselmeyer." Van Replied and he sighed deeply and went on with his story.  
>"So Drosselmeyer created more characters to get the story to move. He made the prince's knight, who supposed to have died in the first battle with the Raven, reborn with the same fate. This young boy would learn of his fate and carry it on his skin as a birth mark. This knowledge made the knight careless. He was a knight who feared death. The knight made sure the prince would stay heartless, but then the story would stay still, so Drosselmeyer brought a duck into the story."<p>

"A duck?" Conrad exclaimed surprised.

"Yes, this duck had a human mind and once she saw the lonely, emotionless prince, she got the burning desire to help him and give him back his heart. This made the story move with four main characters who had no choice but to battle each other till the monstrous Raven revived again. Four failing characters with their own tragic fates. A princess who was in truth only a duck, fated to turn into a speck of light and vanish once she confessed her love for the prince she wanted to help. A prince without a heart to love the people he wanted to save, fated for bitter days of fighting, only to lose his heart again. A dark princess raised by the Raven believing that no one could love her except the Raven and the prince, fated to never reach the prince's heart, and a knight who feared death, fated to die in vain as he tries to protect his friend and gets torn in two by the claws of the Raven."  
>Van paused again and Conrad could imagine why. It was already at terrible story and to think that it happened to four real people was more than shocking.<p>

"How, how did it end?" Conrad asked in a low voice, fearing the worst, but to his surprise Van managed a smile and it was not a forced one.

"The four characters in the story began to defy their roles, starting with the fairy princess named Princess Tutu and the knight. They learned to trust each other and became a strong team to save the prince, who had been fallen into evil by Raven's blood running through his veins. The prince too, wanted to take matters into his own hands, causing him to fight the Raven's blood inside him. The Raven princess had been the weak link in the story from the beginning. She was raised by the Raven and shouldn't know how to love. However, the Raven had used the promise of love to get the princess to become obsessed with the prince. Love became her goal and her drive. She loved the prince so much that she sacrificed herself to save him.  
>Saved by her love, the prince vowed to save her and take her as his princess. Drosselmeyer saw his beloved tragedy evolve towards a happy ending and turned to the duck, Princess Tutu. He told her that it was her selfish wish to stay with the prince that kept her from returning the last heart shard to him. The pendant which transformed her into Princess Tutu and also into a human girl."<p>

"That was it, right? Both princesses loved the prince and one of them would be alone in the end." Conrad said, he still wondered how the story could end well and why Van's smile wasn't fading.

"You see, there were two big changes in the story that caused the tragedy to end." Van began to explain. "One that the prince chose the unloved princess to be his bride and two that the knight who cast away his sword and began his new role as a writer."

"Wait a minute…" Conrad interrupted as a conclusion popped into his head.

Van's smile grew wider as Conrad figured it out. "Do you know what Uzura's mother's first name is?" he asked.

"No."

"It's Duck."

"Duck? You mean the duck who became Princess Tutu?" Conrad asked amazed.

Van nodded. "The princess who was in truth only a duck, found a new love, a much deeper love with the knight who became a writer and had been by her side through all that time." Van stopped speaking and Conrad thought the story was over, but Van had one more story to tell.  
>"Now, about Uzura." He began again. "You should ask her personally for the full story. I only know what my dad told me." Van then took a deep breath and closed his eyes considerately, as if he thought hard to say.<br>"Uzura was never born into this world as a normal child. She was once a puppet."

"A Puppet?" Conrad stared in disbelieve at Van's serious face.

"Yes, created by Mr Fakir's foster father in the likeness of a three year old child. She followed Mr Fakir everywhere and was a trusting, happy little thing, but once the story of the Prince and the Raven was over, she disappeared. The town was completely normal again and a living puppet could not exist there anymore. Drosselmeyer didn't look at the town for four years. He believed that he had failed and didn't want to see the happy life everyone was living. Until he looked back one day and saw an opportunity, two in fact. At the time, Drosselmeyer had not seen the deep love the knight from his story had for the little duck that once became a girl. In the end Princess Tutu had sacrificed her life as a human girl to return the prince to his story. It had caused the knight and the girl to be apart for four years until she died as an old duck. Drosselmeyer thought that if he brought his main character back into the town he would be able to control it again and see it be thrown in a new tragedy. His second opportunity was Uzura. She had been working for him in those years and asked him to return her to Mr Fakir and Mss Duck. Drosselmeyer send her back, thinking how tragic it would be for a little puppet, who was inside perfectly human, to try and fit in with people of flesh and blood. It was a cruel idea. Uzura would make friends with children her age, but eventually see them grow while she couldn't even eat or sleep. Drosselmeyer didn't say anything, of course, and pretended to be generous. Not long after Uzura returned to the town, she got adopted by Mr fakir and Mss Duck who were not a couple yet and struggled to find the meaning of each other's feelings. Uzura went to school where she met Rina, but meanwhile strange things were happening in town. There was a stranger who had an interest in Mss Duck and wooden toys began to disappear. A wooden army began to march through the streets and eventually Uzura got kidnapped by the stranger. He wanted to use her as bait to lure Mss Duck to him and kill Mr Fakir. Mr Fakir picked up his abandoned sword to save Uzura and got badly hurt. The stranger seemed to be Drosselmeyer's right hand man and had seen Princess Tutu dance, controlled by strings he moved. He had become obsessed with her beauty and sadness, but could not understand that Princess Tutu was only a mask Mss Duck had worn that time.  
>In the end, Drosselmeyer seemed satisfied with a happy ending for once and made Uzura human, given her parents' DNA."<br>Van finished his story and it was silent for a while. Conrad could hardly believe what he just had heard, but it had to be the truth. It made a lot of things clear. How Uzura was convinced she did not know about feelings and her strong affection for her parents' love.

"No wonder Uzura has such a strong mind when it comes to her fathe- I mean Mr Fakir."

"Trust me, he _is_ her father." Van replied. "I come there for several years now and I've seen their parental bond, with both her parents, of course, but there is something unspoken about the connection between Mr Fakir and Uzura. I doubt Uzura knows about it herself."

Conrad did not know what Van was talking about and let it pass. "I see." He said and looked again at the story in his hand.  
>"I'm going to leave my cello here tonight. The school will be closed anyway." He told his friend.<p>

"Are you sure?" Van asked surprised. Their instruments were never left unguarded. Music instruments were expensive and very important for their study.

"Yes, it will be alright for just one night. I'll put my cello in a cupboard and lock it. It will be a burden for me if I go to Uzura's house first to give this back to her." He waved meaningfully with the piece of paper."

"Won't your parents be worried if you are home so late?" Van asked frowning, he obvious thought that his friend was being too impulsive.

"No, they know I like to wonder around, especially since I still don't know the whole town yet." Conrad said shrugging,

"If you say so." Van said and they both went on with their preparations to leave.

* * *

><p>Only ten minutes later Conrad was on his way to Uzura's house. Van had given him the address, while still smirking at his friend's silly move. Maybe it was silly, Conrad admitted, but he wanted to talk to Uzura again. Especially now that he knew her story. It was incredible how well Uzura had taken it all and still managed to be so cheerful while that mad story-spinner's ghost still lingered somewhere. He wanted her to know that he didn't want her to hide from him when she wanted to hear him play. He wanted to tell her how much it made him happy to know that she liked his music.<br>As he walked through town towards the southern gate, he had a long time to prepare himself before he saw her. Uzura's family had chosen to live outside town and lived very far from the Academy. Uzura had to walk really far every day, Conrad realised as he walked through the darkening streets filled with tiny raindrops and wisps of mist. 'No wonder her mother comes to school to walk home together. This is no route to walk alone, especially not for a young girl who already has been kidnaped as a child.' Conrad shivered as he walked under the archway of the gate to the last pair of houses. "I guess I can't really blame Mr Fakir for wanting to live as far away from the town after all that had happened.' Conrad thought.  
>Then nerves struck him as he approached the right house. He took a deep breath and walked up to the front door, but when he just wanted to ring the doorbell, someone came around the back corner of the house and halted in surprise. Conrad, equally surprised turned round and met Mr Fakir. Mr Fakir was a sharp looking young man in his mid-thirties. He had very dark hair and deep coloured skin and a serious look. His frown transformed into utter surprise when he saw a young man at his front door. Conrad was nailed to the ground and his nervousness increased by the mere look of this severe man.<p>

"Eh, my name is Conrad, sir." Conrad began and he made an awkward bow. "I am a student in the Music division-" He had better not said that. The moment he mentioned the Music division, Mr Fakir shot him such a cold look that Conrad almost dropped Uzura's story. Mr Fakir's eyes were emerald green, just Like Uzura's, but there was no warm cheerful light in them and Conrad remembered his surprise when Uzura had told him that she had her father's eyes. He had the heart to run, but he wanted to give this man a chance to show him what Uzura saw in him.  
>"I came to return something that Uzura left behind at our building. I'm good friends with Van, he gave me your address, sir." Conrad explained quickly.<p>

Mr Fakir's gaze softened and he closed his eyes for a second. When he looked at his visitor again, Conrad saw that he was forgiven for his sudden appearance.  
>"I see." Mr Fakir said with a calm voice that was not harsh in the least. Before he could ask Conrad anything else, however, another person joined them.<p>

"Fakir?" A kind cheerful voice called and a young woman with salmon braided hair appeared around the corner of the house. Mss Duck, or Mrs Writer as people in town called her, was her husbands' completing part in seemed. She had a radiant smile and deep ocean blue eyes that spoke of hope and courage. She spiritedly walked up to her husband as he and Conrad simultaneously looked her way. She gave Conrad a beaming smile that made his limbs almost numb with relaxation and affectionately closed her arms around Mr fakir's arm. It was as if she meant to tell Conrad not to be afraid of him.

Conrad understood it all as he looked at the pair of them. Mr Fakir seemed more relaxed and the light that Mrs Writer seemed to bring made him seem like a different man. He rested his eyes on his wife for a moment and when he looked back at Conrad, the latter finally recognised Uzura's eyes.

"Hallo, can we help you?" Mrs Writer asked Conrad kindly.

Conrad bowed again. "My name is Conrad, ma'am, I come to deliver something that Uzura dropped near the Music division."

Mrs Writer frowned and looked at her husband with a startled look. Clearly, the Music division hit a wrong cord with the both of them. 'Poor Van.' Shot through Conrad's head and he decided to continue speaking. "I've only spoken with your daughter once, but she often comes to listen to my music and when I noticed that she had dropped something I wanted to return it."

It worked, Mrs Writer looked no longer startled and her eyes lit up with delight.  
>"Oh how very sweet of you." She said. "Why don't you come inside for a cup of tea. I'm afraid you will have to wait before you can see Uzura."<p>

"She has gone into town for a little while with her little sister, they will be back soon." Mr Fakir added and Conrad saw with surprise a smile appear on his face. Conrad began to understand that some stories about Mr Fakir were in fact true. He was a social outcast and liked to keep it that way and Conrad was certain that a few years back he would never have given anyone that smile. It was plain to see that his wife had shown him a different way and it was clear too that he truly loved his daughters, Conrad could see it in his eyes.  
>Conrad nodded at him, feeling relieved that the tension was over and followed Mr and Mrs Writer inside. Once inside Mr Fakir informed his wife that he wanted to go back to work in his study upstairs. Mrs Writer was not pleased with this and asked him to stay and drink a cup of tea, saying that their daughters would soon return for dinner. Mr Fakir used this as main reason for him to work a little more before Uzura and Isa came back and won the discussion. Mrs Writer looked at him in high annoyance, but her husband just looked at her affectionately. It made Conrad very uncomfortable. He just hoped they wouldn't kiss, because he was certain that they would instantly make anyone miserable to be alone once they did it.<br>Mr Fakir went upstairs and Mrs Writer got rid of her annoyed face and told Conrad to sit down while she made them some tea. Six minutes later she returned from the kitchen with two steaming cups and gave one to Conrad, she then sat herself down in the chair in front of her guest and looked at him beamingly. Conrad felt uncomfortable again and feared he was about to be questioned. Luckily, Mrs Writer didn't get the chance and a call came from the back door.

"We're back!" Uzura's cheerful voice called and Conrad's stomach turned again. He had no time at all to prepare himself before she walked into the room, followed by her little sister. Uzura's eyes widened with surprise once she saw Conrad sitting in her living room and Uzura's sister managed to copy her father's surprised gaze perfectly.  
>Feeling an intruder, Conrad shot up from his seat, startling Mrs Writer. "Eh, hallo." He tried with a dry throat.<p>

Uzura didn't reply and remained where she was. It seemed it was now Conrad's turn to ask _her_ why she was staring. Uzura's sister hid herself behind Uzura and looked pleadingly at her mother.

"Conrad says he found something that belongs to you, sweetie." Mrs Writer said to end the awkward silence and she stood up to rescue her youngest daughter. She crouched behind her and calmingly stroked her dark hair.

"I found a piece of paper that contained one of your stories." Conrad said and he goofily showed her the piece of paper.

"Oh." Uzura breathed softly and her whole body relaxed. She slowly walked up to him and took the piece of paper gently from his hand. She looked quite embarrassed.

"I-I thought it was nice!" Conrad said quickly to make her feel better, but Uzura's head shot back at him with frantic eyes.

"You read it?" She asked in a high voice.

"Was I not supposed to?" Conrad reacted, feeling incredibly stupid, but Uzura pulled herself together.

"No." She replied, but she didn't sound angry in the least and she looked back at him with a grateful smile. "Thank you." She said.

Conrad's heart skipped a beat and quickened. He only hoped he would not blush with Uzura and her family nearby, but then Uzura relieved him by turning to her mother."

"Mum, can I see Conrad to his house before dinner? To thank him."

"Of course." Mrs Writer replied warmly. "Your father is still working anyway, just don't take too long."

"Thanks mum, well see you in a bit." Uzura said cheerfully and without warning she took Conrad's hand and dragged him into the streets.

"So, where do you live?" She asked him.

"Pretty far from here actually." Conrad replied, still stunned by what was happening. "At the western gate."

"We best walk fast then!" Uzura said and pulled Conrad along in a very quick pace through the foggy evening. "Thank you for returning my story. I mean it, but I was surprised you came to my house." Uzura said and she looked at him beamingly and Conrad recognised the same way her mother had beamed at her husband. With a shock he tried to push the conclusion to the back of his head.

"I should have considered your privacy before I read it." He said.

"That's alright. I was not sure anyone would ever read it. I just wrote what I heard in your music. Hearing you say that you liked it is a real relieve."

"I'm really glad you like my music." Conrad told her, but he kept his eyes on the road ahead. For some reason he still didn't ask her why she was hiding whenever she came to listen to him, so he changed the subject.  
>"So I met your father. I admit he scared me first, but when your mother joined us he changed and I saw the kindness you described. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions about him."<p>

"Yes, but I shouldn't have been so hard on you." Uzura said kindly. "My mother changed my father and many people don't want to see that, but he doesn't care so I should try to ignore it too. He has us and his best friend, together with his wife, who know his values and that should be enough."

Conrad nodded. Now that he knew the whole history of the four people Uzura mentioned, he couldn't blame any of them for excluding themselves.

"I've always known my dad to be kind." Uzura continued cheerfully. "I was quite annoying when I was a kid and I followed him everywhere. I wanted to know everything and asked him anything, without thinking of his comfort when it came to sensitive matters. I can only remember one time when he was really annoyed with me. I had learned a rumour about my mother" Uzura smiled, amused by the memory. "he said to me 'schoolyard gossip is no education' and I never listened to another rumour ever again, but I still don't know what is sensitive for people."

"You're not the only one." Conrad said seriously. "At sea you only have the crew around you and you have no time to learn those things."

"So you _were_ a sailor!" Uzura exclaimed suddenly. "I had a feeling you were, your music always remind me of a ship."

"I wasn't really a sailor!" Conrad argued, fearing Uzura might have the wrong ideas about him. "I've told you that my dad was a salesman, well he worked mostly at sea. I just helped him out whenever I could, but I wasn't really a member of the crew."

"Still you seem to me like a brave young sailor who saw things I'll never see!" Uzura said enthusiastically and she beamed at him again.

Conrad felt himself blush. "I'm not brave!" He tried. "I've only experienced one storm and it scared me to death. It was really one of the reasons my mother used to get my father to take it easy and buy a house here."  
>It was silent for a long time as they walked through the emptying streets. Many people were returning home to have a nice warm dinner and Conrad became aware of the cold and the empty feeling in his stomach. When they had spoken he hadn't been thinking about it. So he spoke again and what he decided to say asked him a lot of courage, but he had to tell her before they would reach his house.<p>

"I have to confess something to you." He began and Uzura looked at him, surprised by his nervous tone. "When I first saw you and then again in the class room, I didn't stare at you because you and your mother look so much alike." He swallowed and kept his eyes on the road.  
>"I couldn't help stare at you because I couldn't believe you were real and so kind to me. I mean, I think you are so beautiful."<br>He said it! He actually managed to tell her, but he still didn't dare to look at her. Uzura, however, gave him no choice, she halted abrupt and turned herself in front of him. She beamed at him again her eyes were deep and warm and exactly like her father's eyes when he had looked into his wife's eyes.

"Really?" She asked him softly.

Conrad swallowed again, but nodded.

Uzura affectionately gave his hand a squeeze and they resumed their walk.  
>"Me too." She said suddenly and her voice was soft and shy. "I received a sort of shock when I first saw you and didn't know what to do. I never had this feeling before, but I think you are very handsome and kind and I want to listen to your cello forever. That's what I feel."<br>It was quite a confession and the fact that Uzura spoke so softly made it sincere.

"I'm glad you feel that." Conrad whispered and Uzura gave his hand another squeeze. It was almost completely dark now. Conrad was nearly home now and he was glad he had had the courage to confess to Uzura before they had to part ways. He was for a time so absorbed by relieve and the thought of home that he noticed too late that Uzura was shivering heavily.  
>"Are you feeling alright?" he asked her concerned.<p>

"No, it's the mist." Uzura said softly and her voice trembled. "The damp reaches into my bones and it makes me stiff and sore. It's like I'm a puppet again."

'She said it!' Conrad thought amazed, but he had been too quiet and Uzura had noticed his lack of shock.  
>"Van told me your story, because I asked him. The great lines, anyway." He explained.<p>

"I see." Uzura said gloomily. "I'm afraid bad things are about to happen in this town again."

"Don't worry!" Conrad blurred out and he found himself nearly yelling to convince her. "I'll do whatever it takes to help you!".

"See, you are brave." Uzura said and she managed a weak smile, but then she stopped dead in her tracks and stared ahead. Terror in her eyes.  
>"The harbour, we're heading for the harbour." She whispered.<p>

"Yes, that's where I live." Conrad replied hesitatingly. He was not sure what to do with Uzura's state.

"I'm sorry." She whispered while she kept staring ahead. "I can't go with you any further. _She_ told me not to come here. I see, too many shadows.."

Conrad frowned and looked at the harbour. There was no moonlight yet and a few broken street lamps made the area pretty dark, but less light meant less shadows, so why were there so many?

"I have to go. _He_ is there somewhere. I have to go, I don't want to speak to him, not yet!" Uzura rattled on in a state of shock.

Conrad began to understand. The shadows, Van had spoken about a shadowy realm. Uzura was afraid of Drosselmeyer, the story-spinner.

"I'm sorry!" Uzura suddenly said directly to Conrad. She released his hand and ran away.

"Wait, Uzura!" Conrad called after her and just when he thought his efforts were wasted, she halted and ran back to him. She didn't stop and he caught her in his arms as she locked her lips with his. Her lips were cold and when Conrad gently moved his hand over her cheek to put a loss lock of hair behind her ear, he wiped a tear away. Uzura was terrified for herself and her family, who already had been used by Drosselmeyer twice. They just wanted to live a happy life. Conrad began to wonder whether it was decided for him and his family to come to this town, but even if he was fashioned as one of the new characters, he would also defy his role and pick up Mr Fakir's abandoned sword to fight for Uzura!

**AN: I really hope you like this chapter, it had a bit of everything, sadness, laughter, love, cuteness and fear. The story begins to move now! **

**I was a bit disappointed last week because I only got one review, I know not many of you read this story, but please show me that I'm not the only one who likes this story :P**

**PLEASE REVIEW! :D**

**Fact: Between the first story in Gold Crown Town and the second one, the town had time to evolve and connect with the outside world. Which is why they have a phone in the second story. Now the people of Gold Crown Town learned the importance of surnames and they made a system in which your family is named after the main trade in the family.**

**Charon is named Smith  
>Fakir's family is named Writer<br>Autor's family has been given the last name Bookman (Unfortunately, but to exclude themselves from the dreaded Bookmen, their last name is written singular)  
>Hermia's family is named Sculptor<br>Mytho's family is named Mythos (Everyone in town know they came from the land of stories)  
>Etc. <strong>


	7. In save hands

In save hands

Uzura ran home, not knowing how to describe the emotions she was feeling. She was afraid, she _ had been _afraid. She had almost ran away without another a word, but something in Conrad's call had changed her mind. He wanted to help her. He told her and she wanted to believe him. She had run back to him and kissed him. Why had she done that? Was a kiss not supposed to come from peace and happiness? Was it that she feared for her fate and so done it as a desperate need for happiness. She wanted to feel love, but was that how it should go? What about Conrad's feelings? Uzura wanted to keep him safe. When he had offered to escort her back home because of the state she was in and the large shadows everywhere, Uzura had told him that he should get himself inside and stay away from the shadows. She had walked him home, it was her trouble, he didn't have to double back for her sake. However, she was very happy to know that he meant it when he promised to help her.  
>Uzura ran on, avoiding every shadow as well as she could. If she ran fast, maybe she could avoid Drosselmeyer. She knew it would be still possible for him to come to her at night, but then she would be at home with her family nearby. She knew she would be able to handle it then.<br>She chose the open roads and avoided every dark aisle until she at last reached the backyard of her house. She reached for the door knop of the back door and entered the kitchen. She took a deep relieved sigh first to calm herself before she walked into the living room where she found all members of her family. Duck stood up from her chair as soon as she saw Uzura and walked up to her to welcome her child with a warm hug. It was like Uzura's whole body had been ice and she felt like collapsing.

"Uzura, what took you so long?" Duck asked her with a distressed voice. "Thank goodness you're home!" She released her daughter to look at her and her eyes were filled with relieve. She had been very worried.  
>"Is everything alright," she asked as she felt Uzura's cold cheek and noted her swollen eyes.<p>

Uzura bit her lip, she was not sure how to answer and avoided the question by walking further into the room and addressing her father. "Are you tired, dad?" She asked him.

Fakir gave a little groan in reply, he had his eyes closed while her leaned back on the couch with Isa rolled up like a cat next to him. She lifted a lazy hand.

"Me too." She called and she snuggled closely to her father's chest.

Uzura smiled and walked into the cosy room to follow her little sister's example. She sank onto the coach, drew up her legs and leaned against Fakir's left side, feeling his comforting body heat. Duck walked back into the room as well but remained standing as she watched her reunited family.  
>Uzura felt her father stroke her hair consolingly and a big lump filled her throat.<p>

"Uzura," Fakir spoke softly and his hand stopped moving through her hair. "Where did that boy live?"

"You've been away for quite a while." Duck added and she knelt at Uzura's side of the couch. Uzura looked at her briefly before she stared at the ceiling. She felt terrible and tears began to roll down her cheeks. Her parents knew all too well what was happening in town and what could happen to her and she had frightened them badly.

"I'm so sorry, mum, dad." She whispered with a failing voice.

"Uzura, what happened?" Duck asked her warmly, her eyes were filled with fear but even so, she tried to give her daughter courage and she wanted her to know that she could tell her and Fakir anything.

Uzura inhaled a shivering breath and sat up, pulling herself together to explain. Fakir gently pulled her closer and she lay her head on his shoulder. It worked and Uzura felt herself becoming stronger. Isa too wanted to help and sat up to see if she could do something.  
>"Conrad lives at the harbour." Uzura said at last.<p>

"Harbour?" Duck asked and she frowned. "I don't remember a harbour in this town."

"It appears we do now." Fakir said gloomily. "I heard there is one at the western gate." He looked meaningfully at his wife and she nodded, sharing his concern.

"What happened?" Duck asked Uzura again and finally Uzura got the courage to look into her mother's eyes.

"Nothing, but the town is becoming darker and there were too many shadows," Uzura replied sincerely, "But Edel has warned me to stay away from the harbour, but I noticed it too late. I got scared and wanted to run, but I had to explain something to Conrad. He wanted to take me back here, but I told him not to. I want to keep him safe and I hope I didn't offend him."

Duck managed a smile and her eyes beamed again. "I'm sure you didn't, sweetie. It's understandable that you want to keep him safe, but understand that we were very worried. Your father was about to go out and look for you when we heard you in the garden."

Uzura shot up and looked at her father, feeling incredibly guilty. "Really?" She asked him and she looked at his tired face and saw with dismay that _she_ had been the cause of it.  
>"I'm so sorry, dad!" She cried out, but Fakir relieved her with a smile.<p>

"You must know by now that I'll always come when you need me, right?" He told her and he wiped the tears of her cheek. "You gave us quite a scare, Uzura."

Uzura swallowed and nodded. Duck got up, bent over her daughter and gave her a kiss on her forehead. Then Isa took her chance, she jumped from her seat and walked over to Uzura's side. Isa was not one of words but deed. She cramped herself between the arm of the couch and her big sister and wrapped her warm hands around Uzura's ice cold hands.

"Welcome home, sissy." She only said and she smiled happily.

* * *

><p>The following morning Duck came into Uzura's room to wake her, something she hadn't done in many years. Habits had changed and Uzura got her own alarm clock. Duck sat herself down next to the head of Uzura's bed and woke her by gently stroking her cheek. Uzura opened her eyes and blinked twice when she saw her mother smiling down at her.<p>

"Morning, mam." She said and she smiled back. A warm feeling of home and safety filled her heart.

"Good morning Uzura." Duck said softly. "I thought I wake you for a change, you had a tough night."

Duck had a great sensibility for these things and she had done just that what Uzura needed. If her alarm clock had woken her, she would most definitely woken up with all the terror coming back to her and refused to get up, but now, she knew that she had a caring mother and a loving family around her and that the world around her was no longer cold and hollow.

"Thanks, mama, I'll be right down." She whispered and her voice failed a bit with an overwhelming feeling of relieve. Duck gave her one more beaming smile and then left to welcome the rest of her family for breakfast. Uzura sat up, but before she got out of bed to get dressed she looked at her hands and moved her fingers one by one. The stiffness she had been feeling for days was almost gone now. She would be alright, today, she knew it! Overjoyed by the free feeling she got quickly dressed and hurried downstairs. Only a few minutes later her little sister Isa followed her and she beamed with joy when she saw her sister so lively. Her father too was obviously relieved to see Uzura's spirit again.

"Say, why don't I take you both to school today?" Duck suggested when everyone was seated around the kitchen table. She looked at both her daughters in turn. "I'm afraid you'll be a bit early, otherwise I'm not at Mss Ebine's on time, but it's been so long since I've done this for you two."

Uzura looked at her mother's hopeful face. It was true, since she had started at het part-time job in the morning, Fakir brought Isa to school and Uzura walked her way to school alone. Uzura could tell that her mother felt guilty about this. She saw it as failing as a good mother, but that was absolutely not true. Duck was and had always been a wonderful mother, because she had a natural care and love for the people close to her. She was very affectionate and Uzura knew how much Duck loved being a mother. She did always her best and tried hard to improve in every way. Isa knew this too, but even so, she looked doubtful and turned to her father. He too wanted to be a good parent and he enjoyed the time he had with his youngest daughter and Isa knew this. She was very caring about his feelings and she was always worried her father might get lonely. She took after Duck in that way and it made Uzura laugh inside, every time she saw it. Of course Fakir was not bothered by his wife's wish and he told his little girl so by smiling at her soothingly. Isa understood and agreed to her mother's plan.

"Alright then, hurry up you two, like I said we have to be quicker this morning." Duck said brightly and she swiftly packed three boxed lunches she had been working on.  
>"Right, here are your lunches." She said and moved on to the hanger with coats. She helped Isa in her sleeves while she only managed to put her own arm through one. "See you in the afternoon, Fakir!" she called over her shoulder as a slight panic caught up with her that she might not make it in time. Fakir chuckled and stood up to catch his wife before she could storm out.<p>

"Calm down, idiot." He said when he had a hold on her and he gave her a soft kiss. "Take care of our girls." He said to her teasingly as he looked at her flustered face. Duck had become flaming red the moment he called her an idiot, which had really become his pet name for her through the years he knew her.

"O-of course!" she squeaked in surprise. By this time Isa and Uzura were already at the front door, ready to leave.

"Bye, papa!" Isa called and it made Duck realise that she had to leave now. She gave her husband a proper kiss and followed her daughters.

Compared to the long walk Uzura was used to, Isa's school was only a hop and a skip away once they entered the town. They proceeded in a healthy quick pace and Uzura could see that not only she but also her little sister had new hope for the better. For days she had looked tired and scared, but now she looked hopefully ahead and was no longer afraid of the mist that still hang in the morning air. Uzura had slept well that night and so she hadn't heard Isa's music box play, but she was quite certain it hadn't played all night. Uzura enjoyed it that she could see how her sister walked to her school. It was something she never got to see. Isa was actually quite optimistic, more than you would expect. She had her problems with other children and was still not sure how she wanted people to see her, but still she faced every day with a hopeful view and Uzura hoped she could do that too.  
>They entered the school square and Isa slowed down to be at her mother's side and Uzura understood that Isa still had her doubts after all. It was scary for her to be there alone. However, her solitude didn't last long, for someone called her name as soon as she entered the square.<p>

"Isa!" It was her friend Ron and he ran towards her with a wide grin on his cheerful face.

"Good morning." Isa greeted him nicely, but she remained where she stood and let him come to her. Ron did and halted just in front of her. His bright blue eyes sparkled.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her directly and he kept beaming at her. it was very clear he was getting to a plan he had been thinking of a lot and he couldn't wait to tell her. Isa however, was lost to words, he had come to her too quickly and she was overwhelmed by his high spirits.

"Hello, Ron." Duck said to the hyper boy to give her daughter a break and select her words.

Ron turned his head and looked at Duck and Uzura. He didn't speak and Uzura thought for a moment he had become shy, but that was not at all the case, she figured quickly.

"Hi, Isa's mum." He replied nicely. The boy was just surprised because Isa had always been with her father and he hardly saw her mother.  
>"My mum is here too, she is over there." Ron said to Duck and he gestured behind him where Piqué was speaking with another parent.<p>

Duck smiled. "I see, it's been so long since I last saw her." She said brightly and she looked at her old friend.

"Go on mum, I'll stay here." Uzura suggested. Duck looked doubtful, but Isa gave her the same insisting look and she gave in.

"I was thinking," Ron began brightly as soon as Duck had left, "I know how sad it makes you when people say you look like a boy."

Isa blinked at this remark, surprised by the sudden mention of her main issue. Ron didn't explain himself further and took her reaction as a confirmation that he was right. Without any warning he got even closer to her and gently took hold of Isa's hair.

"I was thinking that you should pull you hair back, not like you father does, but like your mother and sister do." He looked for a moment at Uzura and she returned his smile, she was curious to see where this would lead. She watched Ron struggled with Isa's hair and make a messy braid to clear his point. Isa was still speechless, she had clearly no idea that Ron had been so considerate towards her problems and she watched him with a flattered gaze. Ron was a cheerful boy with platinum blonde hair and deep blue eyes and an everlasting smile that seemed to be contagious. Uzura was sure that in a few years this boy would have quite a few admires and that those admires would be the complete opposite of her sister. Compared to Ron, Isa was rarely smiling and barely visible, but he tried every day to make her visible. It was such a cute love this boy showed for her sister, that Uzura couldn't control her broad smile and she hoped Isa could see this wonderful thing that was happening to her.

"I have nothing to bind your hair with!" Ron exclaimed annoyed. "Come Isa, I have to ask my mum."

Still unable to control herself from grinning, Uzura followed them to Duck and Piqué who stood only a few feet away.

"Mum!" Ron called and Piqué turned to see what her son wanted. As soon as she saw Isa her eyes widened in surprise and she supressed a giggle.

"What's this, did you braid Isa's hair?" She asked amused.

"Do you have anything to bind it with?" Ron asked directly and he looked impatient.

"Let me see." Piqué said, who got the message from her son's gaze and began to search in her hand bag.

Duck looked closely at her daughter's new hairstyle and her eyes began to sparkle with joy.  
>"You look really nice, Isa, you should keep it." She said and Uzura agreed. It was true that Isa looked very much like Fakir, but she also had a round face with little freckles and big ocean blue eyes and the braid accentuated that perfectly.<p>

Piqué found a purple ribbon that belonged to her daughter and fixed Isa's hair into a nice braid that only left a few locks of hair out and looked at her work.  
>"Even though you have Duck's old clumsy face, this makes you look really pretty, Isa. I'm sure that you will become really pretty when you grow up." Piqué said to Isa and a little blush appeared on the little girl's cheeks.<p>

"I'm afraid we have to leave now, Uzura." Duck said and a sudden panic began to flicker in her eyes again, they had stayed too long already. Uzura nodded and was ready to leave.

"Bye, Isa!" She said as she turned to leave after she had given her sister a smile.

Isa smiled briefly, because Ron suddenly took her by the hand and made to leave as well.

"Bye sissy, please have fun today!" Isa tried desperately to give her sister and mother a proper send off, but she didn't even get to say her goodbyes to her mother.

"Come on Isa. Let's play!" Ron said and he dragged her with him.

"Wait!" Uzura heard her sister say. "Shouldn't we look for Richard first?"

Uzura never caught Ron's answer but she could guess that, however good friends he was with him, he wouldn't want to share Isa with Richard and Uzura giggled softly.

* * *

><p>As Uzura walked her well-known route that had become really bleak in the past weeks, she felt her happiness drop. She tried to stay positive, but it became really hard. She thought of the training with Taris. He began to show less and less emotion during their dancing and it killed Uzura's joy in dancing. She really had to ask him why he supressed his feelings like that. It was true that she didn't want to fake a feeling of love towards him, so what did she really want from him? Maybe she should talk to him about it. Taris always let her speak and stood open for her ideas, but lately Uzura had the idea that he only pretended to listen. He had a certain look in his eyes that gave Uzura the feeling that he only saw her talk, but didn't hear a word.<br>Duck had watched her silently and let her to her thoughts, but there was once again sadness in her eyes when she urged Uzura to follow Isa's advice and have a nice day. Duck pulled her close in an affectionate hug just before they parted ways and gave her a kiss on her cheek.  
>"See you tonight." She said softly and she then she had to leave.<br>Uzura felt guilty for making her mother this sad. Her mother was always so spirited and a beacon of hope, her eyes were not meant to carry that much worry, it polluted their beauty.

Uzura carried out her plan and asked Taris if she could practice alone today. He agreed, but asked her if they could end today's lesson with one try-out together. Uzura had given him a smile. It was good to see him persistent about something. In time Uzura had seen what Clara meant when she spoke of Taris' obliviousness of social interaction and that he liked others to make decisions for him. It made Uzura question her desire to dance without him, maybe she simply didn't see his feelings. But what kind of feelings did he have towards her? Uzura became curious and after she had spent an hour and a half practicing alone, she welcomed his offer to dance together.  
>Uzura was ready to be open to her own feelings in this moment, but something strange happened. Normally she could easily have fun and she had succeeded in forgetting her connection with her quest for love and dancing a Pass de Deux, but now she felt cold when Taris closed his hands around her waist. She flinched away and her breathing became shallow.<p>

'What?' she wondered in panic as she saw Taris shocked expression. 'I'm hurting him this way. Why am I rejecting his touch?'

"Uzura? What's wrong?" Taris asked and his voice was truly shocked, he thought she had gotten ill.

"No, I'm alright!" Uzura gasped, but Taris had all the reason to question that. Uzura was still staring at him in shock and she was shaking. Drosselmeyer's grinning face appeared in her mind's eye.

'See? You do not possess the human heart, you just pretend!' he said, grinning. Uzura had no choice, she couldn't ban the thought from her mind, what other explanation was there?

"Uzura, maybe you just need to sit down." Taris said and he reached out a caring hand and touched her ice cold hand. "You're ice cold."

'Why is his hand not comforting to me? I feel it, and yet..!' Panic began to close in and her insides grew cold. Taris brought her gently into a sitting position and offered her some water. Of course it didn't help her one bit and she just wanted to close her eyes and forget everything.

"Uzura," Taris began again, "You need to take a deep breath and tell me what's wrong."

Uzura took a shuddering breath, maybe it would be best to try and talk about it.  
>"I- I'm afraid, I'm cold inside." She whispered and she looked at him for an answer, but Taris gave her a clueless look. She needed to be more clear about it.<br>"I know you want to help me, but now your hands feel cold to me and I want to avoid it. I don't know why." Uzura confessed and she sadly closed her eyes to calm herself.

Taris was silent for a while and Uzura couldn't blame him, it was not a nice thing she had said to him.  
>"Then.." He began softly and Uzura opened her eyes to see him looking quite sad himself.<br>"What do you think of me?" He asked.

**AN: Great sigh, sorry guys for taking so long, but for two weeks now it has been so busy at mine internship that I had a complete writer's block. That's why this chapter is rather pointless, but I hope you enjoyed it either way. Please review!**

**Unfortunately, my writer's block is not entirely over, so I don't know when the next chapter will come, sorry in advance.**


	8. Dreadful words

Dreadful words

"What?" Uzura whispered shocked and she stared at the boy in front of her. It was as if she saw Taris for the first time clearly, his face no longer a blur without expression, but filled with the desire to know her answer. Only, she feared she couldn't.

"What do you think of me, Uzura?" he repeated, his voice was low but also firmly. He wanted an answer. It scared Uzura immensely. His question echoed in her mind, but she hadn't an answer.

"I-I don't know." She whispered as she felt herself becoming colder and colder. 'Do I.. have an opinion of him?' she wondered.

'Do you understand now?' Drosselmeyer's voice sneered in her head and Uzura's heart seemed to freeze entirely.  
>'You are only a puppet in human skin. The moment someone tries to attach themselves to you, you can do nothing but hurt them, because you cannot feel yourself!'<p>

'Is it true? Are the emotions I have only reflections from the people around me?' Uzura could only think in despair. What prove did she have otherwise?

'No, Uzura listen to me!' Edel cried in her head and her face appeared in front of her mind's eye.  
>'It is your heart that makes you feel this way now, It is a feeling towards this boy that you cannot fight. It is guilt!'<p>

'Guilt?' Even though Uzura could not identify the feeling Edel told her about, she tried to see it. It would be wonderful if she could be certain of her ability to feel, but she didn't.

"Uzura," Taris spoke again and his voice was still ringing with the uncertainty that could also be seen in his eyes. "You agreed to dance with me,right? So you must like me." He said. It was neither a conclusion nor a question and it made Uzura blink and forget Edel and Drosselmeyer for a moment. She began to understand that all this time Taris had told himself this one thing and it had kept them from coming any closer to each other.

"Why?" Uzura asked him and her perplexity made her forget her own despair for a moment. She wanted Taris to explain some things to her now!  
>"If you wanted me to like you then why aren't you showing me any emotion? You must feel something!"<p>

Taris was taken aback by her sudden outburst, but Uzura felt lighter as if a burden had been taken from her shoulders. This was something she had wanted to know for a long time. She stared hard at Taris' face that started to become the same flaming colour as his hair.

"I-I thought you needn't to now my feelings!" he blurred out. "I've always watched you dance. You always show so many emotions when you dance and I could never do that. I wanted to see you dance every day and when we began to dance together I didn't try anymore, for seeing you dance was enough!"

"I don't understand." Uzura said truly surprised. "You like me?"

Taris too looked surprised now, surprised that she had not known that. He nodded and his face became even redder, If that was even possible.

"But if you like me, then why didn't you wanted to talk to me. If you like someone then you should want to talk with them right?" Uzura asked him and she heard her own voice rise in some frustration. Had she been wrong about that, or was Taris the one who had been wrong?

"I couldn't." Taris replied ashamed and he hang his head.

"Were you shy?" Uzura asked much calmer. It was a new emotion she had discovered herself when she was around Conrad and the latter had confessed that he too became shy sometimes. It was a strange emotion Uzura began to like. It showed someone's pure feelings towards someone else. Taris looked up, his face was still red, but he gave her a smile. He then reached out a hand and touched her shoulder gently. It did no longer feel cold and Uzura relaxed with relieve.  
>"I'm sorry," she said. "I still don't know why your touch felt so cold to me. It scared me, but you must know that it is not your fault. It is mine." She gave him a sad smile.<p>

"No, Uzura!' Edel cried again in her head, but Uzura didn't want her in her mind right now. She wanted to be able to have her own thoughts about this, to have a mind of her own.  
>"Shall we try again tomorrow?" She said kindly.<p>

Taris was completely overwhelmed by her vary of reactions and found himself quite lost in figuring her out, but he understood that she meant well and he agreed with a nod.

"Right, then I'll go and search for my best friend Rina, I'm afraid I neglected her in the past weeks and I want to make it up to her." Uzura said brightly and with one last smile to Taris she turned to leave as the school-bell began to announce lunch-break and fled to the school grounds.

It was no fake smile she had given Taris, but still the coldness caught up with her quickly. What was she? Was she truly a human with a heart or did she did only have a disguise and could she only reflect what others felt? Did she feel affection for her parents because they adored her? Did she feel happiness because Isa felt it and could the feeling that she copied from Conrad be the feeling of love? Still, she was certain she was feeling something now, the cold feeling of being alone. To be unreachable for anyone, even for … Conrad.  
>Uzura turned on her heels, she had been on her way to the main meeting place at the fountain where she would most definitely meet Rina, but now she walked the other way. She had to see <em>him<em> first. She needed to know if her feelings from yesterday were real!  
>As an unbelievable struck of fate she saw him as soon as she turned around. He was on his way to the Ballet division to see her. He spotted her and a wonderful smile coloured his face, but then he noticed her despair and his eyes filled with shock. He broke into a run and when he reached her he was not afraid to come really close and looked at her with great concern in his warm eyes.<p>

"Uzura?" He only asked and with that his eyes said the rest. He wondered how she got so scared and how he could lessen her pain. Uzura's heart skipped a beat and for a moment she could only stare desperately into those smoldering eyes and drink in their warm light to keep her body from freezing. She was afraid he might touch her, afraid she had to accept that he too meant nothing to her and that she did not possess the ability to love, but she had to know!

"Conrad," She whispered and her voice shook with fear. "Can you hold me, just for a moment?" Uzura hardly dared him to do it and wanted to run away even though she had just asked him to do it. This was her test, but if she failed it would be worse than dying!  
>Conrad blinked once at her question, but didn't hesitate for a moment and lay his hands on her waist, just as Uzura had meant him to do, but he didn't stop there. He gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. He lay his left hand on her head and brought her chin on his shoulder while he rested his chin on hers.<p>

"He came to you, didn't he?" He asked her softly.

Uzura was hardly conscious and it took her some time to realise what he had said. He had overwhelmed her with his care, so much that she had hardly realised that she passed her test. She _could _feel Conrad's warmth and kindness. Her fear melted away in his embrace and she felt great happiness. She saw Edel smile for a second, but she did not speak and allowed Uzura to have her own thoughts. Uzura knew she felt pure happiness and it was not a reflection, for she could sense Conrad's feelings too and, as she wrapped her arms around him as well and snuggled with her nose in his neck, she suddenly knew that she had at long last found the feeling of love in her own heart.

"I'm so sorry." Conrad said suddenly with a hoarse voice that was filled with sorrow. It was true that Uzura had sensed that he did not feel happiness at this moment, but she had been so grateful to him for taking away her pain and give her the certainty of a human heart, yet he was apologizing and it surprised her.

"Huh?" She could only say and she lifted her head to look at him.

"That man, he hurt you and I wasn't there to help you even though I promised you I would." Conrad said and his eyes spoke of his deep regret. "Please tell me how I can be there for you!" he said.

"Conrad," Uzura was stunned by his heavy reaction, for her, he had done enough already. There was no need for him to feel responsible. It was something that could not be helped.

"No, don't be sad." She said to him and she gave him an affectionate smile. "It is because of you that I can smile again. I thought Drosselmeyer was right. When Taris touched me in our Pass de Deux I felt cold and I was afraid I could not feel anything, but now I know. I know I can feel happiness and love, but only now that I'm with you!" Uzura just blurred this out in her haste to make him smile again and she realised too late that she had said too much and made him shy instead. She could feel it herself as she recalled with a shock that she had kissed him yesterday.  
>"Ah!" She cried out and jumped away from him, her face burning bright red. 'What did I just say?' she thought in panic.<p>

Conrad swallowed and was struggling to say something, a deep blush coloured his cheeks as well and they stared at each other in an awkward silence. Then Uzura began to laugh. She couldn't help herself, Conrad just looked really funny.

"I'm sorry!" She gasped as she tried to pull herself together. Conrad tried to laugh too, but he seemed to be in a state of shock and his face was still very strange. It took Uzura a few tries to stop laughing, but she had to. She had to be sincere when she told him this.  
>"I mean it, Conrad." She said and her cheeks coloured once again and her eyes beamed at him. "I know that I love you."<p>

Conrad no longer looked strange, he was still blushing and knew he did not appear in the least strong in front of her, but he smiled at her most affectionately and came closer to her. He was still unable to speak and so he gave her a soft kiss on her cheek. Uzura thought her heart would burst with happiness and she couldn't stop smiling at him, but then she remembered where she was and what time it was. An eerie call brought her back into reality.

"I uh, have to go to Rina. I've not spoken to her in a long time." She said to Conrad suddenly.

"Then go, it's alright." Conrad said, amused by her reaction.

"I'm really sorry!" she cried out as she realised she was going to leave him standing there for the third time!

"It's alright, GO!" Conrad replied and he grinned, amused by her unnecessary apology.

"Oh, you can come with me!" Uzura suggested suddenly.

"Eh?" Conrad looked at her doubtful.

"Rina is really nice, I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

"I know that, but.." Conrad tried, but Uzura didn't take no for an answer.

"Come on, don't be shy!" she said with a radiant smile.

Conrad opened his mouth to say something and closed it again, then he closed his eyes and sighed.  
>"Aren't you ever shy, Uzura?" He asked her softly.<p>

Even though their sweet moment had passed and they were talking about something completely different, Uzura could still see the affection in his eyes. It had never faded. It made Uzura's heart leap and make her feel tingly inside. It was so strange that it also made her uncomfortable. She loved it and yet it made her want to look away. She felt unfairly special.  
>"When you look at me like this." She answered in a whisper and her cheeks coloured again. She came closer again and they silently looked at each other for a while. How Uzura wished she could gaze into Conrad's eyes and speak to him for eternity. She wanted them to be together as long as they could be.<p>

"Alright." Conrad said and he smiled at her warmly. "I'll try not to be shy."

Joy filled Uzura's heart. "Van will be there too, I'm sure."

At that Conrad gave her a sceptical grin. "I'm not sure that's a good thing." He said. Uzura knew he meant well. Van was his best friend and as Rina was hers, she knew that friends could make each other feel uncomfortable.

* * *

><p>"There she is! Uzura, over here!" Rina called when she spotted Uzura and Conrad approaching the main meeting place. She waved at them, but also shot Van, who stood next to her, a look and remark.<br>"I told you she wouldn't forget me." She told him.

"Again." Van added with a grin, but Rina had already averted her eyes from him and continued to wave at her friend until she had reached them.

"Where have you been?" she asked Uzura curiously.

"I ran into Conrad first." Uzura replied unashamed. Now that she had brought Conrad along, her double life was over and they should all hang out together from now on.

"Oh I see, I should put the blame on you, then." Rina said and she turned to Conrad to give him a wicked smile. Conrad stepped back and looked at her apprehensively. The first time he had seen her, she had seemed so nice, but now that had suddenly changed.

Rina was, of course, only kidding and gave him a playfully giggle after she saw his nervous reaction.  
>"Nice to see you again, Conrad." She greeted him warmly. Van too had to laugh at his friend's reaction.<p>

"Don't mind her," he said to him, "She likes to mess with your head."

To this, Conrad knew exactly how to react and it was quite surprising for Uzura to see. She knew her friends liked to tease one another, but she always enjoyed the atmosphere from afar and didn't get involved, but Conrad did.  
>"I guess you would know." He said to Van and looked at him quite penetratingly. He caught his usual self-assured friend right in his discomfort zone and completely turned the tables. Now it was Van's turn to be taken aback and his cheeks coloured a bit. Uzura blinked at this change of character in surprise. Conrad had just revealed a secret she had never seen! Uzura let out an amused giggle and Rina, also a bit coloured herself, turned to her in surprise.<p>

"What is it, Uzura?" She asked.

"Nothing." Uzura replied and she tried to stop herself from smiling, but she just couldn't. Suddenly love happened all around her and Uzura loved it.  
>They all sat down on the grass under a tree and Uzura and Rina began to talk to each other. They had never a loss for conversation and now that Conrad had joined them, Van was no longer the lonely listener.<br>Uzura talked about Isa and told Rina what a wonderful thing had happened to her.

"How nice!" Rina exclaimed in a high pitched voice. "Finally someone noticed her, it is not fair for her to be ignored. I had always thought boys would line up for her, she has all the good genes!"

Uzura pulled a face at her friend. It was typical Rina to only remember her father and not her mother who, Uzura insisted in acknowledging, was very beautiful.

"Don't give me that face, you know I think Mr Fakir is very handsome still and Isa is lucky to have his looks."

"Rina, he is my dad!" Uzura cried out. She knew her friend's opinion, in fact, she had told Uzura she thought her dad was handsome the very first time she saw him and Fakir had heard her say it, but as the years progressed, Uzura began to have a problem with it. It was not right.

"Don't make a drama out of it!" Rina said and she casually waved her friend's outburst away.  
>"I don't mean anything with it and I saw him kissing your mother too many times to care."<p>

"Rina, please stop talking." Van told her bluntly and he pulled the same face Uzura had given her.

"Why?" Rina shot back and she was prepared to confront him again by giving him a mysterious smile, but Van got distracted and for a moment his eyes shot up to someone who walked by at that moment. Rina raised an annoyed eyebrow at Van's lack of interest in her and she too looked up to see a most beautiful girl walk by. She had hair like white feathers and ember eyes that shone with intelligence and pride.

"Myre!" Uzura greeted her young neighbour and stood up. Myre, who was searching the grounds ahead of her, turned around and gave Uzura a smile.

"Hallo, Uzura." She said with a pleasant soft voice.

"Aren't you having a break?" Uzura asked her.

Myre didn't reply, she was distracted by a flock of the white birds that continued to swarm in town lately. She frowned at them and Uzura suspected that she had not heard her question. She was about to repeat herself when Myre give her the confirmation that she did hear her.

"Yes, but I lost sight of my friends, because the teacher kept me for a while after practice."

"You can sit here with us." Uzura offered, she knew her friends wouldn't mind, but Myre was uncertain. She let her eyes slide over the number of people under the tree. Rina and Conrad both gave her a welcoming smile and she gave them a formal nod, but she did barely look at Van and quickly turned away. The white birds above their heads began to make a noise like they were laughing at the coldness of Myre's reaction.

"Thank you, but I'll look for my friends now." She said and she walked away.

* * *

><p>Isa sat alone in her bed room that night. She had placed the mirror from her dresser onto her writing desk and she looked at her face while she sat on her desk chair with her legs drawn under her bottom. She fumbled on the puffy end of her braid and looked at the effect of her new hairstyle. She had always been afraid to do something with her hair and thought that keeping it lose would make her more different, but now that it was pulled back it made her eyes stand out and that had always been the beauty of her face. She loved her deep ocean blue eyes and saw them beam at her from her reflection. Isa sighed happily.<p>

"My, My what a truthful smile." A deep voice said. Isa's mirror fell down and she screamed in horror as for a moment she was plunged in darkness. She heard a creaking sound of a door that opened and looked to her right. It had not been her door that had opened, but the inside of a large grandfather clock that had appeared in the shadow of the corner of her wall. A man stood in it and he looked into her room with wide bulging eyes and he showed all his teeth with a most horrifying grin.

"You and your sister are so persistent, quite annoying." The man said with his deep voice. Isa knew that voice, or rather she thought she did. At night she had heard him laugh. This had to be Drosselmeyer. As everyone else in town, she knew of the story-spinner that had once controlled the town. It was because of him that her sister had been a doll once and that her mother had been close to vanishing and her father to death. Her parents had never told Isa personally what had happened to them, but Isa had always been quick in noticing things. She had heard class mates speak of the sudden appearance of a harbour and she didn't trust the fog that stayed too long. She had picked up the book of the Prince and the Raven and read the history of the town. Isa didn't understand really why, but she had become very afraid that this man before her would seek her out, sooner or later.

"Did you really think a music box would keep me away? How foolish!" Drosselmeyer said and he laughed cruelly.

Isa was still sitting in her chair and found herself unable to move, her eyes fixed in shock at the man who was supposed to be dead. 'Why?' She kept wondering. 'Why did he come? What am I to him?'

"Calm down, child. Like I told your father all those years ago I am not going to harm you. Actually, I'm here to help you." Drosselmeyer said.

"Help me?" Isa repeated weakly. It was impossible to trust that smile and she frowned. "How? I don't need help."

"Oh, but you do." Drosselmeyer grinned. "I believe your parents kept you from quite a few things and made you precisely that what ruined my masterpiece. You are both indecisive and weak, but you have my blood running through your veins and can be so much more."

"What do you mean?" Isa asked. She wanted the man to go away, to leave her be, but she had the feeling that he enjoyed her ignorance and she wanted him to stop mocking her!

"Ah, your father thinks of it as a curse and so he saved himself by not telling you. He is running away again and proves to be utterly useless. My dear pathetic Tutu clouded your mind with promises of happiness and only told you dumb stories. I'm here to set things right."

"Be quite." Isa hissed and tears stung in her eyes. There was no reason for this man to speak of her parents like that. It was cruel after all he had tried to do to them and her sister.  
>"You are going to take Uzura away." She yelled at him and a tear escaped her effort to keep them hidden and rolled over her cheek.<p>

Drosselmeyer stared at her for a moment, then he began to laugh. "I have no longer any use for Uzura, actually she always has been a nuisance."

"Why are you here? You say you want to help me." Isa felt her fear transform into rage. However it didn't last long.

"How about you write me a story." Drosselmeyer said grinning.

A cold shock shot through Isa's body. "No." She whispered, more to herself than to Drosselmeyer. Isa knew her writings had something unworldly about them and she had always liked to think of it as a special ability, but now it scared her. what if this man wanted to use it?

"This town is already changing, don't you want to stop it?" Drosselmeyer pressed on.

'Can I?' a voice in Isa's head asked hopefully. She had a bad feeling about this, but still..  
>'If I could drive the fog away, then sissy would never be sad again!'<p>

**AN: So I managed to update this week, yeah! :) I only got one review last week and even though I know this story is doomed to be rather hidden, it still is disappointing. I know I have a few guest readers and I like to thank them for the times they did review! It sucks that I cannot send you all a pm. :(**

**I still find myself in a writer's block and I'm afraid I cannot capture the feelings this story carries, also I really hope you like my characters, because this story is much more than a fanfiction to me :)**

**Please, please review! **


	9. A tragedy is beginning

A tragedy is beginning

The people of Gold Crown Town woke up to see a clear morning the following day and in de weeks after that the weather continued to improve. The people in town managed to smile again as their trades demanded their early routines. However rumours continued to spread about the places where the fog still lingered. No one in their right mind would wander unawares into the harbour or the old forest. It was said that the fog gathered there for a reason and ominous beings were born there. It was also said that the strange white birds had their nest there and that they would kill you on sight if you would come too close. No one trusted those birds, although there feathers were pure white, they had chased the crows away and were considered to be even worse. Crows had terrorised the town for generations now, but no one dared to sigh their relieve now that these white birds had taken their place. The eyes of the white birds were sharp and yellow and seemed to see right through you. They attempt to watch you intently as if they wished you to die on the spot so that they could feast on your remains. People began to tell stories about the birds, they said that if one of them caught your eye you wouldn't be able to look away until they had cried out to you with their eerie call and if you heard it something dreadful would happen to you.  
>Uzura didn't believe this story, but she was curious to know why the white birds lingered around her school. They scared all the students and there was talk about attacks on the grounds. Nevertheless, the birds always seemed to be watching like spectators. Now and then Uzura saw them fly around town in small groups, calling their mocking calls to someone below and it made her wonder if the birds were in fact selecting a person to call to. After all, the crows also had been an announcement for attacks once.<p>

Someone who shared this theory was Rue. She could only see the crow's disappearance as an ominous thing. The crows had been controlled by the monstrous Raven himself, even from his miserable prison. Rue had forgotten her heritage from the Raven in the years she had spent among the towns' people, but his power was even then too great and his blood in her overpowered her into doing his bidding. Rue feared that, even with the Raven gone, only an even greater power could drive the crows away and she feared for the safety of her family and friends. She told this Uzura personally when the latter paid her a visit. It had been such a long time since she had done that. Uzura had a close bond with Rue and it had never faded away and through the years she got to know Mytho as well. He was actually quite similar to her. Mytho had been without a heart for so long that, even now that he had a wife and child to love, he still had trouble understanding all the different feelings he had besides the feeling of love. Uzura could easily understand that and in the past they had spent hours talking about it. Today, as she sat at the table in the living room with Rue and watched him move around the house (she wasn't really sure whether he was busy or searching for something) she realised another thing she and Mytho had in common. He was still a prince from a fairy tale in a normal town. Just like her, he was an impossible truth in reality. Uzura had felt so isolated when Edel had called her that, but now she knew she was not alone. Even her mother was also an impossible truth, a woman who had been born a duck but chose to live as a human. As Uzura realised the similarity between her and her mother she became really warm in her heart. She always had a strong connection with her father, but now she knew both her parents were connected to her. She could hardly describe the happiness that overflowed her heart, but it was very similar to a moment in her life she both cherished and dreaded. The day she had almost been kidnapped by a maniac who wanted to use her as bait and tool.

* * *

><p>Uzura had waited for Fakir to pick her up from school to go home. He and Duck had done that ever since she started her days at school. She was not allowed to walk home alone and she knew why. A stranger had been trying to get her attention and marionettes were stolen from shops. That day Fakir didn't come and Uzura began to walk apprehensively away from her school. It was not that she didn't know the way home on her own. She had wondered about the town many times in the past and always found her way back, but now the town didn't seem safe to her and every corner seemed to close in on her or hide scary eyes. She walked as fast as she could and it began to rain a little. It made Uzura's heart sink even deeper. She kept on wondering why Fakir had forgotten her, wasn't he supposed to be her father? Uzura had learned in school that your father and mother were very important and cared about you the most. If you were scared you could go to them and they could take every pain away. Uzura was very afraid and tears began to intermingle with the light drizzle that fell on her wooden face and hurt her limbs as the moister began to sink into the wood. Was she alone then? Where were her parents to take away this pain and loneliness? She was stumbling along when something thin but strong caught her ankles and threw her into the mud. Uzura remembered being so scared that she could not make a sound, all her will power had left her completely, but even so she tried to move away. Then she heard a familiar voice call her name and a little light began to shine in her heart again. Fakir jumped towards her and threw himself at her sight to pull the strings that were dragging Uzura away from her feet. Three marionettes appeared and attacked. With a yell, Fakir knocked the heads from their bodies and grabbed Uzura to run away. He ran for a little while and Uzura had no time at all to realise what had happened before he sat her down on the streets again and looked at her. Uzura wasn't sure how to describe the look on his face, but she knew he wasn't angry with her, but worried.<br>"I'm sorry, Uzura. Are you alright?" He asked her.  
>Uzura had stared at him for a moment. She had been afraid, so afraid that he wouldn't come, that she was alone. She was so relieved now, but even so she feared that she still was alone. Fakir was not her father and Duck was not her mother. When these thoughts crossed her mind again she began to cry and couldn't stop. She had hoped it would magically become true, but now the cold reality had rained down on her.<br>Fakir had taken her into his arms and squeezed her into a warm hug. He looked her deep into her eyes and said to her: "Climb onto my shoulders, daddy will bring you home, Uzura"  
>It made Uzura's heart leap and it amazed her how much that one sentence meant to her. she managed to give him a smile. Fakir had called himself her father and showed her that she was precious to him. As he carried her home he told her that he blamed himself for denying it and begged her for forgiveness. Uzura had just laid her head on his and told him that she wasn't angry.<p>

* * *

><p>"Uzura?" Rue asked her and she watched her with concern. Uzura didn't understand why until she felt a few tears roll over her cheeks.<p>

"Oh sorry, it's nothing. I actually had a wonderful memory." Uzura said and she smiled.

"Is that so?" Rue blinked surprised, wondering what memory that could be.

"I thought of the time dad came to rescue me and called himself my dad for the first time. He showed me that I was precious to him and that I belonged with him and mum." Uzura told her with a little voice.

Rue gave her a soft smile. "That is indeed a wonderful memory, Uzura." She agreed. "It is because of you and Duck that I know now who Fakir is. Not even Mytho, his best friend, could let me see that he was strong enough to face his past and begin again and now I've done that too. Now I see that we both were wrong for familiar reasons and it's still a miracle we can be good friends, but I'm glad we are."

"I'm happy you two are friends!" Uzura said happily and it made Rue chuckle.

"That's exactly what Duck would say, wearing that exact same face."

* * *

><p>"Oh no, that won't do." Drosselmeyer remarked as he rocked back and forth in his wooden chair in front of a giant gearwheel that allowed him to spy on the people he once hoped to control.<br>"What ever happened to my characters is truly shameful and utterly boring. What a happiness. They are supposed to suffer and fight for their lives not to chat and smile! This story is threatened to end before it even began." Drosselmeyer began to rock even faster as he thought of possibilities.  
>"I won't use another puppet, I learned my lesson."<p>

"My lord?" A voice spoke behind Drosselmeyer and he stopped rocking. A cruel grin appeared on his face as he turned to the man who had spoken.

"Ah Markerhein, it is rare for you to leave your work." He sat to the man who seemed to be a mirror of his master's cruelty. He was dressed in a long cape with his hood up, but the man's wild blue eyes seemed to pierce through everything as they peered from under the low hood.

"We heard that you are attempting a new story in Gold Crown Town." Markerhein said in his slick voice.

"I see, maybe I should allow you to enter the town once more. A new path has opened and it should work to bring an old enemy to my characters. You are sure to open some old wounds." Drosselmeyer said thoughtfully.

Markerhein's grin matched that of his superior when he heard it. "Let me kill that writer this time, please." He said eagerly.

"Ah yes, I'm afraid you lost track of time while you were here, Markerhein." Drosselmeyer said, truly amused. He snapped with his fingers and the wheel showing Rue and Uzura rolled away to make way for a new wheel that also kept spinning in front of the two men and began to show a kitchen in a different house.  
>"You see, twelve years have passed in that town and you lost in more ways than one. The knight from my old story, or rather the amateur writer, married my pathetic main character, your Princess Tutu, years ago. Now their child, also my linage, has unlocked the barrier her father created to stop me from spinning my stories."<p>

Markerhein was unable to grasp his master's future plans. He stared in disbelieve at the scene in the kitchen where Duck and Fakir were doing the dishes together. Duck drew a strange face and seemed to laugh awkwardly at a remark her husband had made to her. Fakir gave her a sweet smile and his eyes rested on her innocent face, shining with adoration and amusement.  
>"It's not possible." Markerhein said through gritted teeth and his eyes spoke of pure hate towards the man named Fakir.<br>"Why did you stop me back then, my lord?" Markerhein asked his master rather impolitely.

"I'm ashamed to say that I enjoyed the thought of a happy ending at the time, but I knew something better would come from it."

"What better thing?"

"Their daughter, I've never thought the power I possess would live again in the living. In the Prince and the Raven I chose my own linage to die as the knight. There had been three generations before him in my line and none had a speck of my gift, but now.. The knight proved to have quite an amount of my power after all and when his daughter was born I knew she had inherited it and promised to be my key to return." Drosselmeyer looked delighted, he had seen his own victory and seemed to be fully motivated, but when he looked at his trusted right hand man, he saw fury and disapproval. It would be a problem, Drosselmeyer realised, to have him in this state. He had to give him some satisfaction.  
>"Of course, it would be a wonderful begin for the story to have a death in the family to draw dear little Duck to despair and let her surrender to me. Feel free to kill the knight, then he would be at last of some use to me. In fact he will be quite bothersome once he starts interfering again."<p>

"And that abomination, his child?" Markerhein asked hopefully, his eyes shining with murder intent.

"No, no I need that child to keep the barrier down for me. I tricked her to allow her to write freely and she thinks she is helping her sister, but slowly I will interfere and let her write my story until I can fully do it myself once more." Drosselmeyer paused to think for a moment, knowing that his underling was not happy with this answer. He thought of different moves he could make to get the story to move. After all, there were more candidates to be the main character in his new tragedy.  
>"You can kill Uzura as well, she is to no use to me and killing her would bring her little sister into a more obedient state. She has already made clear that she fears more for her sister's safety than for her own."<p>

"Sister, but Uzura is that little puppet, right? She is not really the daughter of my goddess and that writer?" Markerhein asked surprised.

"No she isn't, I made her into a human and gave her the DNA of her 'would be' parents, but it is still only a disguise. She has no real connection to them nor to her sister who is therefore the only own with the fully power I need."

Markerhein's lips curled into a wicked grin. He couldn't wait to return to the town and unleash his wooden army again. That puppet Uzura had been useless for him to use, she had too much free will, but she was very important to that man he despised, the writer. If he killed her, he would surely come to him and then he would kill him too. For a moment, both Drosselmeyer and Markerhein were taken by their cruel plans until a sudden noise of gears turning caught their attention. The wheel with the view on Duck and Fakir had made way for another one and this spinning wheel showed them a misty harbour that was deserted, but for one young man who was strolling thoughtfully about until he had seen something strange and horrifying.

"Ah, a new character of mine." Drosselmeyer said amused and he approached the wheel. He watched Conrad stare ahead of him with his eyes wide with terror.  
>"Do excuse me." He said to Markerhein and he stepped through the wheel and arrived in the shadows of the chilly harbour.<p>

"What a pleasure to finally meet you." Drosselmeyer grinned to the stunned young man in front of him and spread his arms in an gesture of welcome.

"You, you're Drosselmeyer, aren't you?" Conrad said, some of the terror had left his eyes and he looked at the dead man coldly. Although he had asked it as a question, he was certain that the man who just had appeared out of nowhere, along with a giant gearwheel and large shadows, was the mad story-spinner himself.

"Correct and you are a newcomer in this town, welcome." Drosselmeyer said with a grin.

"I've been told what you are capable of! What did you do to this place?" Conrad wanted to know and he even took a few steps towards him to show him that he was not afraid.  
>"I know what you did to Uzura and her family in the past and I won't let you do it again!" He continued, but even though he tried to hide it, a flicker of fear was still visible in his eyes.<p>

"Ah very good. You are short tempered and ready to take matters into your own hands, which makes you reckless. Perfect qualities. Personally I thought you less of a character, but now I see that you will make a splendid character!" Drosselmeyer said laughing and he even applauded to express his approval and delight.

"Don't mock me!" Conrad growled at him. "What is happening here? What did you do to Ella?"

**AN: First of all I like to apologize to a reader, I had written Drosselmeyer's bit and then remembered that one of you asked me 'please not to kill anybody off'. Well I wish I could say that I cannot say anything for spoiler alert, but actually I can.  
>I cried my eyes out twice when I wrote Uzura's memory, I've fully adopted these characters and feel what they feel, if they die, I die :(<strong>

**Fakir and Uzura will be in danger, but I'll give them a chance to change this tragedy!**

**For those who are confused, Markerhein is Drosselmeyer's right hand man who controls all the puppets in his realm. In Strings of Love it became clear that he controlled the strings of Princess Tutu when she was trapped there and was forced to dance the moves Drosselmeyer commanded. Markerhein fell in love with Princess Tutu's despair and only when Duck had grown older he saw that she and Princess Tutu were the same and wanted to make her his goddess. When he addresses himself as 'we' he means himself in his puppets.**

**Oh and Ella appears once before in the chapter named 'Uzura'.**

**I hope I made you all curious, please review! **


	10. What breaks your heart

What breaks your heart.

A bit more than eight years ago

Duck was visiting her best friend and neighbour Rue. While Rue had invited her to sit down in the living room and brought them tea, Duck felt her nerves fail her. She didn't even understand why she felt so nervous, after all, it was no big deal telling Rue!  
>She looked at little Myre playing on de ground with her dolls. She was four years old now. Duck smiled as she watched her play so silently. Uzura could be that quiet too, but Duck preferred her to smile and chat happily. Then she knew Uzura was happy and it brought a smile on her own face as well. Uzura had left her drumming alone for a long time now that she had grown older, but she still sang her funny songs and Duck still liked to join in as they did chores in the house together. Fakir was busy writing all kinds of novels to ensure their income and Duck believed he had become quite famous for it. He was a good writer and people in town spoke highly of his work. Of course Fakir didn't care for their sudden change of heart towards him, but he liked his work more and more and still he read Uzura stories. Duck had stopped to keep up and compete with him to be a better parent. They raised Uzura together and they loved her very much and Duck finally began to see that she was in fact a good mother. She too read Uzura stories, but only when Uzura asked her, Fakir could tell stories much better than she could. A thing Duck was proud of was her cooking, Fakir had taught her well and now she could make almost anything and every day she could quickly make a boxed lunch for both Fakir and Uzura. She finally was where she belonged.<p>

"Duck?" Rue asked her friend carefully as she watched her from the other end of the table.

"Ah yes!" Duck shot up straight. She realised she had been staring at Myre for a long time. At once her nervousness, she had forgotten, returned with a snap.

"There was something you wanted to ask me, right?" Rue said, amused by her friend's behaviour. It was nothing new to her.

"Yes," Duck took a deep breath to pull herself together," Rue, what is it like? Having a baby?"

Rue was surprised and blinked twice at the sudden question, then a sudden realisation brought a beaming smile on her face and her eyes sparkled with delight.  
>"You're pregnant!" She exclaimed with a high voice that Duck had never heard before.<p>

"Rue!" Duck cried out in an even higher voice. She was completely blown away by her friend's sudden conclusion, let alone her change of character, but Rue was not finished yet.

"Is it Fakir's?" She asked overjoyed. Duck couldn't answer, she just turned flaming red and nodded only a little.  
>"Of course it is, you would never betray him." Rue concluded. Then she stood up and called for Mytho.<br>"Mytho! Fakir and Duck are going to have a baby!"

"Yes, Fakir told me." Mytho said and he walked into the room in some surprise to see his wife like he had never seen her before.

"Fakir told you already?" Rue asked in utter surprise.

"Well it came up, he was a bit distracted." Mytho explained. Then he turned warmly to Duck.  
>"I should congratulate you as well, Duck. Congratulations."<p>

"Ah, thank you ." Duck managed to say, the flaming colour in her face had dimmed down to a deep blush and she shyly avoided anyone's eye for a moment. She felt really flattered that her friends were this happy for her and Fakir. She too was very happy.

"It took you two long enough though." Rue suddenly said and she sounded more like herself again. It didn't sound mean, more like a tease.  
>"You've been married for three years now, it got time you two began to consider having a child."<p>

"But Rue, they already have Uzura." Mytho said to correct his wife.

"I know, but this is different, right?" Rue argued, but her eyes were bashful, she had realised she had said something she shouldn't.

"Please don't say that Rue." Duck begged her softly and she looked at her friend with great concern, but then she managed to smile and it was a radiant smile.  
>"Even though we never had Uzura as a baby she is not different from this child." Duck gently lay her hand on her stomach. Rue listened quietly and her expression changed. She understood that her friend had thought about this for a long time.<br>"I wished I could have raised Uzura from this state of life, but I became to understand that it doesn't matter. We knew her for four years before she had her fourth birthday. Fakir and I, we always looked after her, we raised her and watched her discover the world. She is as much our child as this new one is. There's no difference at all." That moment Duck believed her own words with all her heart and saw that Rue understood her, but then everything faded away and Duck fell into an eternal darkness. She cried out, but Rue and Mytho had gone and so had all the word around her.

"You mustn't tell lies like that, little Duck." The deep voice of Drosselmeyer said while Duck kept soaring down. She shut her eyes and braced herself for sudden ground. Finally she landed with a smack on the ground and opened her eyes. It was as though she hadn't opened them at all. Everything was pitch black and only Drosselmeyer's echoing laughter gave her an idea of a chamber of large size. Duck stood up in great panic and looked around her, but she still couldn't make out any shape. She only knew Drosselmeyer was nearby, he had trapped her again! She only hoped her family was safe.

"Fakir!" She called desperately. She needed to go back to them, she needed to know they were safe. "Fakir, are you here? Uzura? Isa?"

'Isa?' Duck thought for a moment. For some reason she knew years had already past. She had given birth eight years ago, to a baby girl named Isa. It seemed Drosselmeyer had trapped her alone, but that didn't comfort Duck at all. It scared her that she no longer knew where her children were, and Fakir, if he had to fight he might die after all!

"Drosselmeyer are you there? Show yourself!" She cried into the darkness.

"What's this?" Came Drosselmeyer's voice in reply, but still he didn't show himself. "Once you used to be so polite to me."

Duck kept on whirling around, but still she couldn't see anything. She hoped Uzura and Isa were alright, she had an ill feeling that the memory she had earlier was linked to this.

"Mum?" A frail voice called and Duck jerked her body into the direction from which the voice had come.

"Uzura?, are you here? Where are you? I'm here, I'm here for you. Please come to me!" Duck began to run blindly. She was not afraid to fall or hit a sudden wall, all she cared about was her child. Uzura's voice had been so weak, so defeated.  
>A clanging sound of wood sounded above her head, but before Duck could look up, it came down from the ceiling and swayed in front of her eyes in a sudden vision of bright colours and it hang motionlessly on its strings like a hanged man. Duck wanted to scream, but the shock she received from the puppet's blanc eyes, staring into her own, knocked all breath from her lungs. She felt faint and an ice cold wave seemed to drown her as she stared into the eyes that had once been so radiant, so full of joy and wonder.<p>

"Uzura?" Duck reached out a trembling hand to Uzura's pale wooden cheek. She felt cold and completely lost from life. Uzura's strings gave way and she collapsed on the ground in a heap of strings and wood, her limbs facing in all directions.  
>"NO!" Duck wailed in despair, she sank on her knees and gathered Uzura's body in her arms, there she sat, rocking silently back and forth. She looked deep into Uzura's eyes, hoping for the them to flicker into life once again.<p>

"What sorrow over just another puppet." Drosselmeyer said and at last he showed himself, in a dim light in front of Duck. He grinned at her.  
>"Character's never learn, they keep making the same mistakes. That's so great about them,"<p>

"Don't come near her!" Duck shrieked and she jumped away from him with Uzura gently in her arms. She looked into her not-seeing eyes again and spoke to her softly:  
>"Uzura, can you hear me? I'm here, your mother is here. Please come back to me." Duck brought her face close to Uzura's and stroked her solid green hair as if it still was soft and red.<p>

Drosselmeyer laughed heartily. "You really think she was your daughter? Have you not a real one now? What hardship for one turn of events."

Duck ignored him and kept whispering to Uzura. "Please do not give into despair, Uzura. You must know that we love you with all our hearts. I once said that you are as precious as Isa and you must believe me that it is true. Fakir feels the same. Please, please come back to us. Let us see you smile again. My Uzura." Duck pleaded while large tears rained down from her face onto Uzura's cheeks. She couldn't care less about Drosselmeyer or his cruel words. Her only concern was to get Uzura back!

* * *

><p>Duck opened her eyes and stared for a moment in confusion at the dark ceiling. Had it been a dream? She felt cold sweat all over her back and she shook from head to toe.<br>"Uzura." She muttered as her mind was still where the dream had left her. Dream or not, she had to make sure Uzura was alright. She had to go to her now! Before she was even fully away she sat already up straight and swung her legs over the edge of the bed to leave. She swallowed in fear of what she might find and tasted salt in her throat from all the tears she had shed in her sleep.

"Duck? What's wrong?"

She had woken Fakir with her sudden shifting and he watched her apprehensively and was wide awake. It seemed almost as if he already knew everything. He wasted no time and came over to her side of the bed. Duck had already stood up and felt dizzy and weak in the knees, but she had to go. She would explain to Fakir later! Fakir, of course would have nothing of it and reached out to gently and pulled her back onto the bed. As he took both her hands, his touch felt almost scorching to her ice cold skin. Fakir kept his eyes fixed of her face while he wrapped his right arm around her and pulled her close to him. Duck surrendered herself to the warmth of his care and lay her head in the crook of his neck.

"Calm down, tell me what happened." Fakir said to her softly.

She snuggled deeper in his embrace. She was still so small in his arms. He always gave her strength, the strength she needed to retell her dream.

"Drosselmeyer entered my dream." She began in a whisper and a tear rolled over her cheek. Her hurt from seeing Uzura's empty eyes filled her heart again. She felt Fakir's body stiffen with shock. She knew he wanted her to tell him more and wouldn't speak until she had finished her story. She took her shuddering breath and began.  
>"First I dreamt of an memory, of the time I told Rue we were expecting Isa. Rue had been more happy than I ever saw her in my life, but then she slipped out that she saw Isa as our first child and Uzura differently. I told her not to think that, I said we would never love Isa more or Uzura less, but Drosselmeyer trapped me in darkness. I fell and found myself in the present. He said to me that I shouldn't lie like that." Duck swallowed and tasted more salt in her throat.<br>"I called your name, Fakir. I called all of you. I feared something had happened to you three and I was scared. I couldn't see anything, but darkness." Her voice failed her and she began to sob with large tears dripping down her chin.

"He did more to you, did he?" Fakir said. His voice was gentle and protective, but the bitterness he felt was in every word he spoke.

"To Uzura." Duck whispered hardly audible. Again Fakir's body stiffened and she felt his heart skip a beat and then go faster. He wrapped his arms more closely around her.

"Can you tell me?" he asked her and he brought his face close to hers to look her deeply into her eyes. Duck looked back desperately. She was frozen with sorrow and fear and she wanted Fakir's soft eyes to comfort her. She needed his strength and wanted him to show her hope, but he couldn't. Fakir's deep emerald eyes were filled with sorrow and he really feared what Duck was about to tell him. Duck took yet another shuddering breath and continued her story in a faint whisper.  
>"She was a puppet again, but without any life and she collapsed in front of me. All I could do was kneel down and hold her in my arms. I begged her to come back and I told her how much she means to us, but her eyes were cold and she didn't had any expression on her face. She was gone, Fakir!" Duck began to cry louder and she couldn't control it. Her whole body began to shake and she twisted her fists into Fakir's night shirt. She looked at him and wished for him to have an answer why this was happening. Why Uzura? Why their family?<br>"I don't want to lose her, Fakir." she sobbed.  
>Fakir was frozen with shock. She had never seen his eyes that hurtful. Their hearts were as one and neither one had an answer or solution.<p>

"I know, Duck." He whispered at last. He let her bury her face in his shoulder and together they sat in silence and Duck could hear Isa's music box play.

"Isa is afraid." She whispered into Fakir's shoulder.

Fakir sighed sorrowfully. "Yes, I know. I see it every day. She is tired after keeping herself awake every night, but she tries to forget her fears and see the following day with new hope. I fear it will consume her, she carries a burden too heavy for someone so young."

"Does she fear Drosselmeyer?" Duck asked. They had never really spoken with Isa about him, but these changes in Gold Crown Town must have affected her.

"I'm certain she knows more than we know." Fakir replied grimly. "I have to talk to her. I don't want to scare her, but she needs to know about our shared blood. If she starts writing out of fear, terrible things might happen and she will blame herself. Like I did."

"Will you tell her about your parents?" Duck asked him softly.

"No, I couldn't bare her to know my mistakes. I've already wronged her enough."

Duck pushed herself up to look at him with concern. "What?" she breathed.

"I knew I carried this curse with me. I was lucky to survive and have your love, but I should have understood when we were lucky to have Uzura, a child who didn't have to share my fate. I ignored it. If only Isa could have been born in this world without me as her father."

"No!" Duck's voice no longer shook. She needed to be strong now. No matter how lost or hurt she was, she would never stop trying to give someone hope.  
>"You must know that I do not care for the blood you carry! Mytho felt the same when he showed Rue his love for her. It is the same! We can protect Isa and Uzura and I will always be there for you. Please don't say that you rather not have this family!"<p>

"I would never say that!" Fakir blurred out and he looked shocked that his words had given her that idea. "Duck, this is more than the happiness I ever dreamt of, to have two beautiful daughters and you forever by my side. You don't know how happy you made me, but I have to be responsible for the choices I made."

"Me too, Fakir." Duck said, her deep blue eyes could beam again and she kissed him affectionately. "I am still just a duck who couldn't accept her true self. It still haunts me. This time I will protect you too."

Fakir gave her a warm smile, but soon it became grim once again.  
>"If anything happens, I will pick up my sword to protect all of you." He looked seriously at his wife and his eyes were warm and caring.<br>"I know you don't want me to, but I have to at least try. I can no longer use my pen instead. If the Bookmen were to find out I am attempting to write a story, for whatever reason, they will stop me with violent force and also take Isa's life. They do not care that she is a child, they only see her as Drosselmeyer's descendant, just like me."

Duck couldn't speak, even though she wanted to. Her mouth was dry with fear, to lose Fakir, to lose Isa and to lose Uzura. It was more than she could bare. She didn't want Fakir to fight, the mark on his body had never faded, he still was the knight faded to die in battle and she wanted to protect him. Fakir looked at her with a sad smile and it seemed he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Please promise me you will not ever jump in front of me again to shield me against a sword." He begged her softly and he kissed her softly.

* * *

><p>The following day happened to be on a Sunday. Normally Duck had to persuade Fakir to take this day off and relax, but not today. Fakir didn't think about his work, he had to speak with Isa and prepare her for whatever fate that might await her. in the morning at breakfast he addressed her and asked her if she wanted to go on a walk to town with him. Isa looked at him with a start and her expression was troubled. Something made her nervous and it scared Fakir to think what she might be hiding. Duck tried to be the bridge between them and ease the sudden tension that also alarmed Uzura. She was looking anxiously at her little sister who avoided any eye contact.<p>

"Go with your father, sweetie." Duck told Isa encouragingly and she walked to her end of the table to give her a kiss and a stroke through her braided hair. "Don't worry, you did nothing wrong."

Isa let out a relieved sigh and seemed to calm down and when she looked at Fakir her eyes were shining brightly with hope. "Shall we go now?" She asked him eagerly.

Fakir was relieved. "You have finished your breakfast then?" He asked her with a tease.

"Almost!" she replied hastily and she stuffed the last piece of toast in her mouth.

Fakir laughed at the look of her bulging cheeks and determined expression. "Calm down, you don't want to choke." He said laughing. However, Isa was still fixed on leaving and within ten minutes she was skipping alongside Fakir while she held his hand. She still wore a radiant smile on her lips, but Fakir wondered how much of it was real.

"Are you alright, Isa? I know you haven't slept well lately." He said to her as they walked through the town gate.

"You heard my music box." Isa muttered and she bowed her head a little and Fakir felt her squeeze his three fingers she was holding.

"Yes, we heard it." Fakir spoke softly and even though Isa didn't look at him, he watched her with a comforting smile. "It's alright to be scared, Isa." He told her. "Strange things are happening in this town and I won't ever deny that our family is in the centre of it all. Uzura already experienced something like this when she was only four years old and I know she is scared again."  
>Isa raised her head a little and caught her father's eye. Fakir spoke directly to her and she could see the great concern in his eyes.<br>"You and Uzura mean the world to me and your mother." He went on. "Duck and I, we will never stop trying to protect you." Fakir halted and stooped down in front of Isa. He took her in his arms and lifted her up. He brought his left hand on her head and let her bury her face in his shoulder. Isa made a whimpering sound. Fakir's heart broke bit by bit while he received her fear from the last few days. She had been away from any warmth, from any security while he had just been in the room next to her. He pulled her away a bit so he could look at her. She had tearstained eyes and looked so forlorn. He didn't want her to feel that way. He gave her an affectionate kiss on her cheek and brought his forehead against hers.  
>"Trust us on that." He whispered and he heard his voice fail with emotion, but he smiled at her and tried to give her new hope. He would always be there for her.<p>

Isa watched him with her deep ocean blue eyes in some surprise while she seemed to search for the cause of her father's sorrow.  
>"I trust you." She told him strongly and her eyes began to beam with a comforting light that was very similar to the light in Duck's eyes. The light that could give hope to every despair. Fakir didn't want to tell Isa about Drosselmeyer's curse yet. He wanted her to feel this hope and build her happiness on it. She was still so young and small, she needed to be able to grow up steadily. He put her down slowly and they resumed their walk into town.<p>

"It's almost your birthday, Isa. You're going to be nine years old soon." He said to her smilingly. It was good to change the subject for now and what better subject could there be than a birthday? A happy day to celebrate your life.  
>Isa looked up with a grin. It was indeed a pleasant change of mind and she began to skip again. "Yes, I know." She said spiritedly.<p>

"You're getting big." Fakir added.

"I don't want to be big or tall." Isa said and she drew a determined face.

Fakir raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?" he asked.

"I want to be small and pretty like mommy and sissy." She reasoned.

Fakir grinned. "You can be tall and pretty." He argued with an amused smile.

"No." Isa shook her head.

"You are beautiful, Isa, you must know that." Fakir looked at his daughter adoringly. Isa was being a child again, she could be now that she relaxed. Not being burdened by things that were too big for her.

Isa looked at him with big eyes. "Really?" she asked him.

"Yes, you are wonderful, Isa." Fakir replied from the bottom of his heart. Isa's eyes began to sparkle with pure happiness and her lips curled into a big smile. Every girl wants to hear that she is beautiful and every father wants to praise his daughters. They walked on in silence, Isa was still sparkling with happiness, but then she asked a serious question.

"Why do people say that you're not nice?" she asked. "Sometimes they act strange around me too."

Fakir was startled and looked at her with concern. Why would anyone treat Isa wrong because of his behaviour? "They do?" He asked her more harsh than he meant to and he felt himself getting very angry at the town's people.

"Yes, you are rude, they say." Isa gave him a questioning look. "But, I know you're not and sissy hears it too."

"I don't care for their opinion. When I was a student I only cared for Mytho's safety and that made me look bad most of the time. People liked Mytho and so they hated me. I didn't see anyone one else. I just didn't need anyone else, or so I thought until I met Duck."

Isa's eyes began to sparkle again and Fakir saw something that always had been one of Uzura's features, the big interest in love. "How did you notice her, then?" she asked intrigued.

Fakir looked in front of him again while he thought back to his past, then he smiled mysteriously.  
>"She was the only girl I ever noticed." He answered. "Even though I thought her annoying and even a danger to Mytho at some point, but somehow, I always thought about her. That's what happens, I began to wonder about her."<p>

"Huh?" Isa reacted and she raised an eyebrow.

"That boy who came all the way to give Uzura a piece of paper, Conrad is his name. I think he wonders about Uzura. Just like I wondered about Duck and she wondered about me and wanted my trust, even though I didn't know why at the time." Fakir smiled at Isa's confused face, a question mark was still visible above her head.  
>"You will find someone to wonder about too Isa. Maybe you already are about that boy who fixed your hair."<p>

"Why would I?" Isa blurred out and her cheeks coloured red. Fakir couldn't help but smile broadly at her reaction. It was extraordinary how much Isa's could resemble Duck and himself at the same time.

"I'm sorry, I was just teasing you." Fakir apologized and he stopped laughing. Isa was still blushing and looked annoyed.  
>Fakir cleared his throat. "What do you want for your birthday, then?" he decided to ask her.<p>

Isa did not reply right away, but when she did she only spoke in a small uncertain tone. "Can I have a notebook to write in?"

Fakir halted abruptly. "You've been writing?" he asked her directly and his voice was strict. His blood ran cold and his heartbeat quickened.

"Only little verses about myself. I write about how I feel and it helps me." Isa replied. Her voice trembled. She was clearly taken aback by her father's reaction. Fakir noticed and tried to be calm. He wanted to be her safe place and give her comfort. Now he had almost yelled at her and blamed her for just writing verses. He knew not all things they wrote came true, but it was clear that Isa knew what she was doing and controlled her own emotions. Her power was already strong. Quickly he stooped down in front of her again and tried to calm down as he looked her into her eyes.

"Listen Isa, you must never write about someone you know in this town. You and I, we share Drosselmeyer's blood."

"The mad story-spinner?" Isa asked and as Fakir took her hands he felt her trembling. This was her fear, the trauma that kept her awake at night. Somehow, Fakir didn't know exactly how, Isa was haunted by the memory of Drosselmeyer when he first came to her when she was a baby.

"Yes." Fakir covered her hands in his to warm them and stop her from trembling. It broke his heart to know that his little girl had to go through this.

* * *

><p>Uzura hurried in a fierce pace towards the harbour. 'I am not afraid!' she told herself in determination. 'why would I fear this place? Drosselmeyer can come to me in any place and I don't believe in those rumours about the birds or the fog. The mist only bothers me because I used to be a puppet!' she began to walk even faster, trying to walk away the hurt in her heart. Blood rushed to her head and she kept on thinking about Isa, of the sound of her music box, playing all night.<br>'Drosselmeyer did something.' She knew it for sure. 'I want to know what and do something about. I know I have no special pendant or power in my blood, but I know Drosselmeyer. I had to work for him and that should count for something!' Uzura entered the ice cold dell in which the harbour was located and walked on to look around. She felt very nervous and strange sounds made her swirl around frantically. Bravely she walked on, onto the far edge of the dock and looked at what was left of the fog in distance. It hovered over the water and swallowed a few boats. Uzura stared at it and tried to see through it. The greyish flock of tiny rain drops seemed to dance and looked almost appealing. Somehow it was calling to her, inviting her to fly away, to disappear. A voice seemed to whisper, but Uzura hardly heard it, maybe it had been just the wind. Then, suddenly, her heart stopped for a second as an firm hand closed around her upper arm and wheeled her around. Uzura screamed and her voice echoed over the calm water. She was still shocked when she suddenly looked into Conrad's eyes. She hardly recognised them for they were ice cold.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her in a mixture of shock and anger. "You shouldn't come here!" He began to pull her away and lead her back to the beginning of the harbour.

"Conrad?" Uzura tried to draw his attention. She wanted him to stop for a moment and calm down. Why were his eyes so cold?

"Do not ever come here again! Go home!" He said while he kept his back to her. Then he stopped and released her arm. They were in the streets of town again and Conrad had his body facing the direction Uzura should take. "Go." He said, but in a low voice this time.

"Conrad, did something happen to you? Please tell me." Uzura said and she tried to be warm and kind to him.

"No, you shouldn't think about me anymore." Conrad said and he hung his head. Something was definitely wrong, his voice was trembling.

"Why are you saying this, tell me what happened, please!" Uzura begged and tears began to sting in her eyes.

"Please go and don't ever turn around, please don't look for me, not even at school." Conrad whispered and he pointed in the direction she had to go.

"Conrad.." Uzura took a few steps towards him, but Conrad stopped her by suddenly looking at her.

"Please." He begged her and his eyes were no longer cold, but this was even worse, the were heart broken. Uzura began to walk away, backwards as she watched him stand there. Slowly his arm dropped alongside his body and he turned away, his head still hanging.

"What did Drosselmayer tell you?" Uzura asked him even though she knew she wouldn't get an answer.

* * *

><p>"Haha, it's too soon for you to know that, Uzura." Drosselmeyer grinned as he sat in his world of clocks, watching four turning wheels in front of him.<br>"I'll let you wait only a little while. After all, the story cannot really continue without you knowing. Especially good stories need time and this one is already off on a good start." Drosselmeyer grinned as he leaned in on the wheel showing Isa. "My little protégé is very promising. To think she would lie to her father like that. Well done Isa and Uzura, my thanks to both of you!"

**AN: I hope you like this long chapter, I really had a lot of ideas and I wanted them all to be in it, especially the light parts, because it would only be depressing. I hope I made some of you cry, because I did :P**

**Please review!**


	11. Ella's fate

Ella's fate

Uzura closed her eyes and let her mind sink deep within her soul and there she waited. Edel, the puppet whose soul had been with her ever since Uzura came to be, her everlasting companion showed herself almost immediately and as always her expression was grim and patient.  
>"Uzura, You mustn't go to the harbour. Stay away from Conrad and the beginning of this tale." She said.<p>

Uzura's heart sank. It was as she had feared. Conrad's arrival in Gold Crown Town had never been a coincidence, but she had to believe that he stood by her side. He must be, he had promised her! she looked to Edel to ease her fears, but as always, Edel seemed to be oblivious to her despair. She only let out a sigh and looked penetratingly at Uzura.  
>"I wonder if it will be bad." She continued as if she had read Uzura's mind. "All stories need characters to help them move along. It is up to the characters to let the tale to either happiness or despair. It's their choice."<p>

"Huh? Why would anyone choose for despair?" Uzura asked surprised.

"Shadows appear where there is light and some wish to expend. They do not want to be alone." Edel said mysteriously. "You are also a part of the darkness that keeps this town hidden. You have to accept it and find your own role in this tale."

There it was again, the prove that Uzura wasn't normal. She was a crack that still remained and slowly caused the glass to shatter again. Why?  
>"Why are you still here?" Uzura asked bitterly and she looked straight at Edel. Edel was a puppet who burned herself to be rid of her own strings. Her spirit was free, but still she showed so much despair, despair she passed onto Uzura. Uzura used to be so cheerful, so full of life. Once she didn't even thought of herself as different, until she saw Princess Tutu bound on strings. She had questioned her heart, her name and her existence even though she was only a small child. She knew she didn't care for Drosselmeyer's reasons, she was just happy to be human with a real family to love, but Edel was still the same and slowly she caused Uzura to fall back to her questions.<p>

Edel sighed and closed her eyes in a manner of acceptance and disappeared, leaving Uzura behind in de darkness of her mind. She opened her eyes and found herself back in her room, sitting on her bed in semi-darkness. Her heart felt heavy and a lump filled her throat. She felt awful for her words to Edel. Edel only wanted to help, but Uzura couldn't deny her resentment towards the puppet.  
>She stood up and walked to her window and while she stared into the darkness of the evening, her thoughts drove back to Conrad. She wondered if he was alright. 'Why had his eyes been so cold?' she wondered again and again.<p>

'No, You shouldn't think about me anymore!' he had said to her, but he had to understand that it was an impossible think to ask. His behaviour caused Uzura to think even more about him. She wanted to talk to him. To find out what had made him say these things. He had to understand that she wanted to help him, to ease his pain!

"Uzura?" She had just returned to her bed when her mother knocked on the door a few times. When Uzura didn't answer she allowed herself to opened the door slowly. "Uzura? Are you alright? Why are you sitting here alone in the dark?" she asked worried and she closed the door softly behind her. Uzura still didn't reply to all her questions, she just watched her mother enter her room and approach her bed. She moved swiftly after she noticed Uzura's expression and she kneeled down in front of her and took gently her hands.

"What's wrong, Uzura?" she asked softly.

Uzura looked back into her deep ocean blue eyes and felt them draw the deep sorrow she felt to the surface. "I feel cold." She whispered.

Duck's eyes widened with sudden terror and her hands began to shake heavily. Uzura was shocked by her mother's severe reaction and forgot her own problems in her haste to calm her mother down, for all the colour had drained her face.

"It's just an expression, please calm down!" she said hastily.

Duck let out a deep sigh and sat herself next to Uzura on the bed, pulling her into a warm hug. Uzura liked being hugged, especially by her parents. There was so much warmth in their embrace and Uzura closed her eyes in peace and comfort.

"What happened?" She asked softly. Her mother's heart was beating steadily, but still Uzura sensed that something troubled her greatly.

"It was just a dream, but it made me very scared." Duck said and she began to stroke Uzura's hair. Uzura had released her usual high pigtail and her hair fell down in outpointing curls just above her shoulders.  
>"It was yesterday night," Duck pulled Uzura closer to her in a protecting way, "please don't be frightened by what I am about to say. It was a dream, you must know that."<p>

Uzura nodded, but at the same time she entwined her fingers in her mother's dress. Somehow she already knew what her mother had seen and a great part of her wanted to stop her from explaining any further. She needed to be brave, like her mother said, it hadn't been real!

"I dreamt you were a puppet, hanging on strings in front of me before you collapsed on the ground. There was no light in your eyes and no matter how much I pleaded you didn't respond." Duck took a deep breath and took Uzura's face gently in her hands. Her eyes were full of fear, but still she wished to see hope and give it to Uzura.  
>"I won't let <em>him<em> take you, Uzura." She whispered and she managed a smile.

"Uzura smiled back and gave her mother an affectionate kiss on the cheek. "I'm happy I have you, mum." She said, beaming with sincerity. Her mother was always kind and had so much care and devotion in her heart. Now Uzura blamed herself for not coming to her sooner. Duck had once struggled to understand the human heart as well. She had thought to be in love, but it had just been a written role she had to fulfil in the end. She must have had some questions about love back then and so Uzura decided to share her thoughts with her.

"Mum, how do you know when you are in love, really in love?" she asked and she sat up to look most serious.

"Huh?" her mother blinked at the sudden question.

"Just tell me what _you_ think!" Uzura pressed on eagerly.

"Um.." Her mother hesitated and her cheeks coloured slightly red. "You know I got it wrong first.." she muttered.

"Yes, I know, that's why I know you can clear it up for me! Please mum!" Uzura said encouraging, but she understand that she needed to explain herself first.

'I like Conrad very much. I like seeing him, hearing him play cello, to have conversations with him. I want to look into his warm eyes, even though he makes me very shy, but I don't think I have a reason to feel this way. Now Conrad told me not to see him anymore and I feel cold and hurt.. It hurts that I can't be with him, but I don't know him that long.  
>Now Taris seems to like me as well, he says he likes to see me dance and Conrad thinks I am beautiful, but that shouldn't be enough, right? Is it really alright for me to only see Conrad?" Uzura had spoken quickly, her whole inner struggle in a nutshell. She looked at her mother for answers and saw that she was thinking. After some minutes her mother looked at her again.<p>

"Uzura, you have had long conversations with Conrad, right? He told you about himself and let you know him. He even came to our house to give you something you'd lost and offered to walk you home when you were scared. It is not strange that you like him very much. Do not feel bad for falling in love, even when you have to reject someone else. You have to follow your own heart." Her mother smiled encouragingly, but Uzura wasn't fully convinced and averted her eyes.  
>"I never felt bad for Femio or Markerhein!" Duck said suddenly bluntly and it made Uzura look up again.<br>"They had a weird way of showing their affections, but they felt some hurt in the end." Duck continued, then she lowered her gaze to her knees and continued in a soft tone.  
>"I too felt that same pain. I told Fakir and unconsciously hurt him as well. But, even though I was hurt, I have always been happy for Mytho and Rue, because I cared about them."<p>

"But you didn't really love Mytho, you never have." Uzura argued and Duck looked at her surprised.  
>"I know because I was always looking for love around me, but I never saw the connection between you and Mytho" she explained.<p>

Duck smiled . "You have always been a clever girl, Uzura." She said. "I'm sure you see what's in your heart. Just follow it and it will be fine. The truth is, when you want to be with someone you do anything to make that happen. I'm pretty sure now that saving Mytho became at some point my reason to stay by Fakir's side. Love makes us selfish, Uzura, you have to accept it.  
>Just go to Conrad and tell him what you feel. You want to help him, right?"<p>

Uzura was speechless, she hadn't even told her mother why Conrad had told her not to see him anymore, but even so she seemed to know that he was not angry with her.  
>"How can you say that he's not mad at me?" She therefore asked curiously.<p>

Duck simply smiled broadly. "Just a feeling from what I've seen in him and what I hear in your story."

* * *

><p>Uzura had no choice but to spent another day at school and she couldn't shake the cold and lonely feeling that grew again in her heart. She still wasn't ready to face Conrad and therefore she avoided the school grounds in case she might meet him unprepared. Unfortunately, staying away from the grounds also meant that she didn't see Van or Rina. Talking to them might do Uzura good, but she just didn't dare. She needed time, time to figure out what she was feeling. She wanted to tell Conrad nothing but the truth, he deserved that!<br>Julia and Lilith were no help to her. Uzura was sure they would try if she spoke to them about it, but they had their own problems. Lilith had her different tastes and views that stood in her way of being appreciated and Julia was the complete opposite. She was creating a really big name for herself and now she had to uphold it. Uzura's problem was a bit far from their view and it would come to them as unexpected. No, Uzura needed to be by herself for now, also to figure out what this new tragedy would be. Uzura still didn't believe the rumours, but she couldn't deny that there was something ominous about the harbour. She had experienced it herself. She could still feel the cold fear that had nailed her to the ground when she heard that strange whisper and the sudden appearance of Conrad. If his arrival was written by Drosselmeyer, what would his role be and what about her own role? 'What is this new tale?' she wondered.

The day was over and Uzura just left the main building when she spotted Van, also on his way to the gate. Uzura called his name delighted. Van had to have some answers about Conrad. He was his best friend and they worked together as well. Also Van was smart and, like his father, eager to unfold mysteries. He was exactly the one Uzura needed to talk to.

Van halted and turned to see her running towards him. He frowned and worry lined his face.  
>"Uzura is something the matter?" he asked her directly. Even though Uzura was truly happy to see him, some of her concern had to be pretty clear to see.<p>

"Well actually.." she began and she fixed her eyes upon him as she halted in front of him.  
>"Do you know if something happened to Conrad?"<p>

Van's eyes widened and he bit his lip. "He went home early today," he began in a low tone, "he is very quiet lately. We still work together, but he is growing distend. Something happened. Did he say anything to you?"

Sadness filled Uzura's eyes and she had a hard time keeping her eyes on Van.  
>"He told me not to look for him or to think about him anymore." Her voice shook with emotion and she hung her head, but she sighed deeply to calm herself. This talk was important, she needed to keep herself together.<p>

"I figured something might have happened between you two." Van said. It surprised Uzura and her head shot back up again. His voice had been bitter, but also thoughtful.

"Do you know something, Van?" Uzura asked and she hardly dared to breath.

"I think so.." Van replied, but suddenly he stared past Uzura, at something or someone behind her. His face looked pale and Uzura turned on her heels to see what shocked him. To her surprise she saw Myre staring back at them from the gate. She looked paralysed and only when one of the white birds started to call to her and she realised where she was. She startled and turned around to run out of the gate and disappeared around the corner.  
>Uzura blinked at her strange behaviour and turned back to look at her friend who was equally acting strange.<p>

"Van?" she tried softly to call him back to reality.

"Last night I dreamt she was in my room." Van said slowly and it was clear in his voice that he questions his own mind and he frowned. "No, that's not right, I'm sure I was awake." He went on. "But how? I'm not even sure it was really her physically."

"What do you mean? 'Not physically?'" Uzura asked and she turned her face to the spot where Myre had stood. Myre had just looked herself.

Van blinked and shook his head. "Something is happening to the people, Uzura. I want to know what and I know you want to too." He said.

"Of course, but what do you mean? What have you found out, Van?" Uzura asked pressingly.

"It started with a girl from my class Ella. Up till now she was just like the other girls, kind and social, but slowly she began to distend herself from everyone. She suddenly appeared in class, it seemed, and then slowly fades away when no one is looking. Conrad became very nervous around her and although he seems upset with her presence, he still tries to make sure she isn't forgotten.  
>For the Art's Festival, they were teamed up by our teacher to play a few pieces together, but lately the teacher wants to replace her because she keeps missing keys in her piano piece. Ella is normally very concentrated and has very steady hands. It's not like her to miss so many keys. I don't believe all the rumours, but I do believe something is happening in the harbour. Like an sixth gate, it can create influents in town, influents that can well be written by Drosselmeyer again. I know he hasn't been writing since your father destroyed his device and wrote an end for the story, but what if Drosselmeyer found another way?" Van closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he was really bothered by all of this. He had seen it up close twice and it scared him.<br>"Listen Uzura, you need to talk to Conrad." He said suddenly to Uzura. "I'm certain he knows what happened to Ella, that's why her state upsets him. I tried talking to him, but he just changes the subject. I tried to speak with Myre as well, but she runs away."

Uzura looked into Van's eyes and saw that she couldn't say no. She was his only hope. She had to except it and nodded slowly. "I'll try, even though Conrad avoids me as well." She said softly and her heart felt heavy.

"Good luck, Uzura." Van said to her as she turned away to leave. His words were honourable, but still it didn't make her feel any better. She started to run and left in the same direction Myre had gone to. What would she do? Go home first or try to find Conrad? She didn't want to worry her parents again, but she had to talk to Conrad first. She was certain now that Drosselmeyer had shown him what had happened to his classmate and now he was baring this knowledge all alone. Maybe Drosselmeyer threatened him not to tell anyone! She had to know! How could she help anyone if she didn't know anything?  
>Unconsciously Uzura changed direction and walked deep into town. Her pace slowed down and an ill feeling began to creep from behind. It rose her heartbeat and drove a shiver down her spine. The hairs on the back of her head stood on end, but too late her mind worked it out. She never got to the point to escape, because a sudden voice froze her to the ground.<p>

"Are you walking home again, little puppet?"

It was like Uzura got hit with a heavy hammer. She felt faint, but her heart held her conscious by beating like a big drum. She couldn't move and very closely behind her she heard the rustle of a cloak and a hand closed on her right shoulder as the man halted at her left side. He pulled her in with no more than an inch distance between them.

"This isn't your way home, little puppet. We know that coward, you believe to be your father, chose to live outside this town. As if that would safe him from us." The man laughed softly and closed his hand more firmly around Uzura's shoulder. Uzura knew all too well who this man was. His name was Markerhein and once he had come to this town on his own accord to steal her mother and kill her father. Uzura had been caught in the crossfire and been used for bait. She wondered why this man had come back now. He was her trauma, the source of her nightmares.

"We know you only look like this because our master wrote it so, but still I want to kill you for it!" Markerhein pierced his nails in Uzura's shoulder and dragged her round to face him. Uzura gasped at the pain and a tear escaped her right eye. She had no chose but to look into Markerhein's mad eyes and see her own end in his delighted grin. Markerhein took hold of her other arm and twisted it backwards with one powerful movement. Uzura screamed from the pain and her body began to shake tremendously.

"Although I might get used to you." Markerhein said and his grin grew wider and he showed Uzura all his teeth. "You are almost as beautiful as our goddess and seeing the pain and agony in your eyes is as good as watching that writer despair and suffer. As long as those degusting eyes of yours stay this way, I can cope with you." Markerhein had a strange longing in his voice and he wickedly stuck out his tongue. Uzura shut her eyes as it touched her face and licked the tears off her right cheek. It was enough to make her vomit and her legs gave in.  
>"Oh don't be like that, little puppet!" Markerhein cried with a chuckle in his voice. "At least pretend you are <em>their<em> child and show me some strength!"

With unbearable pain Uzura got jerked to her feet by her dislocated arm and pulled unto her feet. She screamed again and her limbs threatened to go numb. "No, this cannot be happening!' she thought in despair. 'I need to find Conrad, I have to let him know how I feel. I want to help him!' Uzura tried to steady her body, to find some strength to escape. She shut her eyes again and gave it her all. She focused all the energy on her legs and got them to stop them from trembling. She waited no longer and pulled herself free and started running. But the tremendous fear had not left her and she had acted too quickly. With a distressed cry she hit the ground again, only a few feet away from Markerhein. She heard him roar with laughter as if she had done something comical and she felt her cheeks, chin, knees and hand palms burn with scratches from the ground and some parts of her uniform were torn. 'What can I do?' she asked herself in panic. I have no power or weapon to defend myself with and I'm too weak to escape. What can I do?'  
>Unwillingly her lower lip began to wobble and large tears rolled down her face. She began to sob hysterically and could no longer control herself. Markerhein's footsteps came closer and closer. Very soon she would be captured again or killed on the spot. Uzura wished her father could come to her aid, like he had done so many years ago.<br>"Dad." She whispered and she tried to stand up again. Markerhein arrived at her side and stooped down.

"What did you say?" He asked amused. "You want your father to come? Well by all means call him, I would even bring you to him. I still want to kill him and it would make our quest much easier."

"Uzura!"

Uzura was hardly aware of the sudden cry in the distends, nor did the quick approaching footsteps reach her mind. She just heard two drumming noises and one got louder and louder, until the very ground under her body shook her awake and she saw someone sped past her and aim a sword at a stunned Markerhein.

"Uzura." A second voice spoke, it was kind and soft and it lifted Uzura heart. The second person helped her stand and Uzura flinched at the pain of the twisted arm he was holding. Hurriedly he changed his hold on her to ease her pain and Uzura could rise her head to look at him. It was Conrad. Conrad had come together with her father to save her, but how did they even know what happened to her?

"How?" she whispered while she carefully steadied herself in his arms. Afterwards she could look into his eyes and study his gaze. Conrad's eyes were filled with relieve to see Uzura safe and a flicker of shock from finding her on the ground remained. His eyes told her how much he wanted to be there for her and regretted everything that happened in the past. They were the eyes Uzura remembered and loved.  
>"Dad!" Quite suddenly she recalled her father's presence and wheeled around to see if he was alright. He had been the one who had called her name and charged in on Markerhein without fear and a sword at the ready.<p>

"Why are you here, Markerhein?" Fakir growled at the fallen man.  
>"Did Drosselmeyer send you?"<p>

"My master despises you happiness. To help his new tragedy, a death in the family is necessary. I think I'll just kill you, you're the one who is truly useless and a thorn in our sight. I will gladly take your life." Markerhein grinned malevolently.

"So you saw fit to use Uzura as bait again?" Fakir spat back and he firmed his grip around the handle of his sword and moved it even closer to Markerhein's throat.

"She is exposable since she isn't Drosselmeyer's linage, but she is quite fun to have as crown piece in my collection." Markerhein's grin grew even wider, he didn't seem at all afraid of the sharp blade that was already touching his flesh and creating a small cut. "I won't kill her now that I've seen her worth, but you are still on my assassination list."

"Stay away from my family." Fakir said in sharp low tone and he lifted his sword a bit to swing it down, but when the sword went down it pierced nothing and made a clanging sound against the cold stone of the ground. Markerhein had disappeared. His master had the power to freeze time and he had used it to simply walk away. Fakir lowered his sword and straightened up with a great sigh. He wasn't a knight anymore, he never really had been, but even so he had been so close to taking someone's life. He turned to Uzura and his emerald green eyes locked with hers.  
>"Are you alright, Uzura?" he asked her softly. Uzura was still overwhelmed by her luck to escape and only nodded, but she managed to give him a little smile.<br>"You should thank this boy," Fakir told her and he nodded to Conrad, "He saw Markerhein approach you and immediately ran to our house to fetch me, he must have acted really quickly."

Uzura looked at Conrad and showed him how thankful she was. "Thank you." She whispered.

Conrad almost looked hurt by her gratitude. "I told you, I'm a coward." He said softly and for a second he let his head hang, but then he looked up and turned to Fakir with a gesture of great relieve and gratitude. "Only your father could save you and I'm just glad he trusted me."

Uzura didn't care how Conrad helped her, she was just glad he had been there to raise an alarm. "It's alright." She said to him and she affectionately lay her hand on his shoulder.

Conrad accepted her touch and sighed deeply while he seemed to drink in her face, his lips curled into a truly happy smile. Uzura wanted to use this moment to tell him what she wanted him to know, but Conrad prevented it. He gently let go of her and walked away.  
>"I'm so glad you are safe. I'm glad I could've been of some use to you," he said, "but you need to forget me, please."<p>

Uzura wanted to stop him, to ask him why he kept telling her to forget him, but Conrad turned and started to run, faster and faster.

"Conrad!" Uzura braced herself, she would no longer cry nor to feel lonely and cold. She gathered all her strength and broke into a run as well, after Conrad.

"Uzura!" Fakir called after her, but Uzura didn't stop. She needed to catch Conrad before the strength in her legs ran out. 'Sorry dad.' She thought. 'I have to do this.' She raced through town, keeping her eyes on Conrad's silhouette that grew larger as she began to caught up to him. She didn't dare to call his name, in case he would speed up and disappear. As she ran, she became aware of quick footsteps just behind her. Her father hadn't taken any chances and ran after her. Uzura was actually really glad he did. She felt safe now, with him in her wake.  
>At last Uzura caught up with Conrad and while heavily panting grabbed his arm.<p>

Conrad halted and turned, surrendering to her persistence.  
>"Uzura?" He said only and his eyes actually sparkled when he looked at her again. He had wanted her to come after him, wanted her to take that risk, but he also looked troubled.<p>

"Conrad please tell me, why you are hurt?" Uzura whispered and she took his hand and took a few steps closer. Her other hand she lay on his cheek. "Why are you telling me to stay away? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no of course not!" Conrad cried distressed and he looked at her in some panic. "It's me, you won't be safe with me! I'm trying to keep you safe in this cowardly way. Even though I want you to stay with me, it's best if you don't."

"Why? What will happen to me if I keep seeing you?" Uzura asked him bravely.

"You will become like Ella, a Sylph. I met Drosselmeyer and asked him what he had done to her. He told me his new story. The story based on the tale of La Sylphide. I know you know it, It's a ballet."

"Yes I know of it, but what.." Uzura was still confused and so Conrad explained on.

Ella became like a spirit of air because she, like the Sylphs of the old tale, lost her heart to someone. The curse to dwell as a spirit of air and haunt the one you love, that's Ella's fate. You told me you love me and I don't want you to suffer the same fate."

Uzura understood Conrad's concern now and understood why he had made the choice to run, but she gave him a soothing smile.  
>"Oh Conrad, Drosselmeyer tricked you." She said. "He left some parts out to scare you and make rash decisions. The maidens who became Sylphs were only those who suffered one-sided love and kept silent about it. I confessed to you and I never thought about it, even if it was one-sided."<p>

"And it isn't!" Conrad cried out. He got as close to her as he could and enclosed her face with both his hands. Uzura blinked and watched him uncertain, but Conrad knew what he was doing and smiled at her sweetly. "You must know that I love you too, Uzura." He whispered. The warm light in his eyes remained as they got closer and closer until their lips touched and he closed them to kiss her most affectionately. Uzura moved both her hands to his back and pulled him even closer. They shared their love until they both ended the kiss.

"Conrad, I want you to know that I want to be to you what you are to me. I want to protect you." Uzura said.

Conrad gave her a lovingly smile. "I know, Uzura and I will never hurt you again, I promise." Then he looked past her and looked a bit sheepish.  
>"Your father followed you. I don't think he will like me much now."<p>

Uzura giggled. "I'll talk him around." She said, but then she dropped her smile and looked serious. She knew now what happened in town, to the people.

"Uzura, I want to help Ella if I can." Conrad said, who seemed to be thinking the same thing. "Will you help me?"

"Of course and Van too. He is really worried, about you as well." Uzura replied and she gave him a soft kiss goodnight before she stepped away from him. "I'll go to my father now." She said with a smile.

Conrad grinned. "Of course, good night Uzura."

**AN: So I though you deserved another long chapter, hopefully it's not too long :) So now you know the outline for the story, mostly, and I revealed two victims. I really hope you liked this chapter. Please review!**


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